DAWN/The News International, KARACHI 28 September 1999, Tuesday, 17 Jamadi-ul-Sani 1420
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Sindh be given due share from NFC Award: Muttahida
11 dailies face contempt charge
Bail refused to top leaders of PPP, MQM
GDA leaders, workers released on bail
Pipe bomb explosion rocks Civil Hospital
10 vehicles taken away
Punjab usurping rights of smaller provinces: PONM
US again criticizes action against protesters
Sindh be given due share from NFC Award: Muttahida

KARACHI: The Muttahida legislators have demanded that Sindh should be given its due share from the NFC Award, besides 30% deduction in the KMC amount should be withdrawn. In a statement issued on Monday, they alleged that the government through a planned conspiracy was bent upon destroying local body institutions of Sindh.

They further alleged that after such discriminatory actions urban areas of Sindh would be deprived of basic civic facilities. The Muttahida demanded that contracts in local bodies should be awarded through open auctions.

Meanwhile, Muttahida legislators have condemned the mass-scale arrests on September 25, adding that this action of the government was a violation of all democratic norms. In yet another statement, Muttahida MNAs Babar Ghauri and Nishat Mallick have expressed concern over the reports of proposed 45% increase in power tariff and termed it another lash on the back of already over burdened people. They demanded from President Rafiq Tarar to take serious notice of such reports and ensure no increase in already high power tariff.

11 dailies face contempt charge
KARACHI, Sept 27: An anti-terrorism court on Monday adjourned till Oct 4 the hearing of a contempt of court case against three Muttahida leaders and 11 newspapers.

The editors, publishers and reporters of the 11 newspapers have been facing charges of contempt of court for publishing adverse remarks of Muttahida leaders about anti-terrorism courts.

The contempt petition has been filed by Naveed Hasani, a nephew of the Pakistan People's Party's slain leader Naeem Hasani.

The court was told by the muharrir of Azizabad police station that MQM leaders Senator Aftab Sheikh, Senator Nasrin Jalil and Dr Farooq Sattar had refused to receive the notices.

Answering a question by the judge, Javed Alam, the muharrir said all the three MQM leaders were present at the party's headquarters Nine-Zero when he reached there to serve notices on them.

The judge, however, pointed out to him that the report submitted by him earlier said Senator Aftab Sheikh was not present at the Nine-Zero when he reached there.

The counsel for Jang, Mohammad Ali Mazhar, who requested for a two-week adjournment, was allowed a week's time to file objections.

Soon after the adjournment of the court, the Muttahida's Nawab Mirza, appearing for the MQM leaders, told the court staff that Senators Aftab Sheikh and Nasrin Jalil had been arrested and Dr Farooq Sattar was no longer in contact.

Later, the counsel for the dailies Jurrat and Khabrain also reached the court and submitted their Vikalatnamas.

Naveed Hasani filed on Aug 23 a petition in the anti-terrorism court praying that the MQM leaders at their press conferences had been making adverse remarks about the ant-terrorism courts and the newspapers had been publishing reports of these press conferences prominently.

He submitted that such utterances of MQM leaders and their publication in newspapers fell under the purview of the Section 37 of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, and thus amounted to contempt of court. In his petition, Mr Hasani made an evening newspaper, Awam, as respondent.

A few days later, the petitioner filed another contempt application and made Dawn and MQM leaders Khalid bin Walid, Kanwar Khalid Yunus and Wasim Akhtar respondents.

Admitting the petitions for hearing, the court issued notices to all the newspapers that had been carrying reports of those MQM press conferences. The newspapers included Jang, Awam, Nawa-i-Waqt, Jasarat, Express, Dawn (inquiries at Dawn offices showed that it was not served with any notice), Insaf Times, Qaumi Akhbar, Jurrat and Riasat. Jang's counsel on Monday also claimed that Daily News was yet to receive a notice in this respect.

Bail refused to top leaders of PPP, MQM
KARACHI, Sept 27: The bail process for the release of leaders and workers of the Grand Democratic Alliance, arrested in connection with Saturday's rally in the city, could not commence until the intervention of the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court was sought by the opposition leaders on Monday.

However, the authorities refused to grant bail to six opposition leaders, including two top leaders of the MQM and four of the Pakistan People's Party.

This was said by PPP MNA Syed Naveed Qamar from the GDA platform at a news conference, held at the Karachi Press Club.

The KPC was surrounded by the police in a bid to arrest Dr Farooq Sattar, who was also expected to address the press conference. In his absence, Babar Ghouri represented the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. Provincial leaders of other GDA parties were also present.

Naveed Qamar disclosed that when the lawyers and the party leaders had gone to the city court for obtaining release orders for the arrested colleagues, "no one was prepared to meet them, perhaps under instructions from somewhere else.

"We were constrained to seek intervention of the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court."

The administration, he pointed out, was not prepared to grant bail to some of the leaders of the PPP and the MQM, including Senators Aftab Shaikh and Nasreen Jaleel of the MQM; and Nahid Khan, Munawar Suhrawardy, Senator Taj Haider, and MPA Abdul Khaliq Jumma of the PPP.

However, Nabil Gabol, the PPP leader from Lyari, who had been arrested from Sunset Chawrangi on Saturday, was freed on Monday morning from CIA-II, while other GDA leaders were sent to the jail. The party leaders were still at the prison , awaiting release of the interned leaders.

Mr Qamar said the GDA was watching the developments and keeping all its options open, which included strikes and protests. "If all the interned leaders and activists were not released, the central executive committee of the GDA, which would meet at Multan on Tuesday, would announce the next option. The call will definitely be given tomorrow," he said.

Several hundred political activists, mainly of the PPP and the MQM, along with scores of leaders, were sent to jail, while over 200 were set free on Sunday night as authorities were short of space.

He alleged that the government had resorted to brute use of force to thwart the opposition rally at Schon Chawrangi on Saturday, which (government use of force) had not only disturbed normal civic life but also industrial activity.

Mr Qamar said the police had also resorted to baton charge the processionists in Nawabshah and arrested Senator Ghulam Qadir Chandio, Abdul Fatah Jamali, Imdad Dhamrah, Shafi Mohammad Jatoi, Lal Bux Khaskheli, Ali Nawaz Chandio and Bashir Chandio and 50 other party workers.

In district Jacobabad, Dr Ghullam Hussain Brohi, A. Wahab Leghari, Aliph Khan Buledi, Mumtaz Jakhrani, Bahadur Mugheri, Dawood Soomro and Mohammad Panah Abro were taken into custody.

Beebee Irshad Jilani was arrested from Khairpur Mirs, while from district Nawshero Firoz, Khalifa Shakil Memon, Aftab Malah, Ghous Ali Shah, Khalid Memon, Ahmed Sharif Gabol, Dr Salih Janwiri, Rehmatullah Mohammad Yunus, Sain Dino, Ghullam Shabir Malah, Ghullam Haider Shah, Imam Bux Mughal, Laung Mari, Jhandho Kalhoro were arrested.

In district Thatta, Allah Dino Panhwar and Dildar Samejo were held, however, in Larkana district no arrest was made.

Mr Qamar said, "Sindh is being targeted under a conspiracy and the people are being sent the message that the regime has no respect for the mandate of the people of the province."

He said his party did not recognize the ATCs, which, he said, were illegal and an aberration of the Constitution. However, he said, during the struggle and despite reservation against the ATCs, it had to use all available avenues of remedy.

Replying to a question, he said the claim of the prime minister's advisor on Sindh that the opposition could not have mustered even 5,000 people, was a figment of his imagination. "If he was so sure then why the area of rally was barricaded and people were not allowed to assemble there."

At this point, MQM's Babar Ghouri intervened and said: "If the government wants to see the strength of the opposition, let us have the freedom to set up camps and hold a public meeting. They will not be able to count the people."

He accused the administration of discriminating against the MQM leaders even in determining the surety amount for the bails of Aftab Shaikh and Nasreen Jaleel and leaders of other parties.

Deploring the summoning of newspaper editors and reporters to the ATC Court, Mr Ghouri alleged it was an attempt to gag the Press to prevent it from reporting the alleged misdeeds of the regime and its brute use of force against the people. He also condemned the continuing siege of the KPC.

When asked why Dr Farooq Sattar was not giving in to the police, he said that courting arrest was not on the card. "Everyone has to play his role accordingly," he said, making it clear that Dr Sattar was not afraid of being arrested, but he was in the hiding as per party decision.

GDA leaders, workers released on bail

KARACHI: While most of the GDA leaders and workers, arrested by the police during Saturday's rally, were released on bail, six leaders of Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Peoples Party were either implicated in other cases or their bail pleas were rejected.

According to PPP and MQM sources, those who were not released are MPA Khaliq Jumma, Naheed Khan and Munawar Suharwardi from the PPP and Senator Aftab Shaikh and Senator Nasreen Jalil from the Muttahida.

The sub-divisional magistrates of Preedy and Civil Lines ordered the release, on bail, of over 600 GDA workers and leaders on Monday. SDM Civil Lines Samiuddin Siddiqui and SDM Preedy Farasat Iqbal granted bail to 19 workers of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf including Dr Arif Alvi, Mairaj Mohammad Khan and Najeeb Haroon against a surety of Rs 5,000 each.

The 54 released workers and leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) included Aftab Shaban Mirani, Qaim Ali Shah, Nadir Magsi and Pir Mazharul Haq, Nisar Khuhro, Dr Wahid Soomro, Sohrab Surki, Nasir Shah, Jam Saifullah Dahrehjo, Senator Taj Haider who were also granted bail against a surety Rs 5,000 each. Twenty-one workers of Awami National Party (ANP) and 44 of Pakistan Awami Tehrik's were also granted bail against the same amount.

About the leaders who were not released, police said that they had been booked under the charges of provoking the people and organising an anti-government protest, PPP sources claimed.

Meanwhile, Muttahida Parliamentary party leader Dr Muhammed Farooq Sattar told The News on telephone that in a surprise move the bail applications of top GDA leadership; Aftab Ahmed Sheikh, Nasreen Jalil and Abdul Khaliq Juma; had been rejected. He said Muttahida MNA Hasan Mussana Alvi and MPA Zahid Qureshi had been released.

"Now we will go to the sessions court for the release of these leaders. This is almost surprising that bail applications of leaders, arrested under Sections 188 and 151, have been rejected," he said. Farooq said that government wanted to keep these leaders behind the bars because "they are the main planners who are devising all the strategies." Replying to a question, Farooq said that Muttahida MNA Tariq Javed and Senator Kamal Mustafa would represent the party in the GDA meeting in Multan on Tuesday.

Pipe bomb explosion rocks Civil Hospital

KARACHI: A powerful pipe bomb blast rocked the surroundings of Civil Hospital on Monday evening, causing damage to three vehicles and window panes of the Causality Department. The blast took place in Eidgah police limits at around 4:40 pm when a locally assembled pipe bomb went off in a furrow along the wall of the Paediatric Department of Civil Hospital.

Fortunately no one was wounded. However, three cars - a Charade (T-0708), a Suzuki Van (CE-6626) and an Alto Car (ABR-388) - besides window panes of the hospital were damaged. A number of people rushed to the spot following the incident.

The CHK administration immediately informed the police, following which rescue teams, ambulances and fire tenders rushed to the scene. Bomb Disposal Squad chief Moinuddin also reached the spot.

Moinuddin told this scribe that the device was locally assembled and it weighed 100 grams. He described the device as a pipe bomb. The parking area where the blast occurred was reserved for Professor Nargis Soomro, wife of Principal Dow Medical College Elahi Bukhsh Soomro.

The Eidgah police took the damaged cars and splinters of the device with them and registered a case against unknown accused. The bomb disposal chief further said that the device was 4-1/2 inches long and two inches wide. The device was made of improvised silver coloured explosive material and was sealed from both the ends. One of the ends was sealed with a socket while the other had stop cork. "I usually advise the people never to go close to any such place where any blast is taking place. This sort of devices can cause more destruction then it did. Fortunately no casualty took place but it was always dangerous to gather at such a place," he added.

Some eyewitnesses alleged that the police detained one Ishaque who had come to see his ailing child at the Paediatric Department. The Station House Officer (SHO) Eidgah, however, denied this.

It may be mentioned here that this was the second incident of explosion in the current month. Earlier, a couple of blasts occurred on September 6 last outside a religious institute, Ashraf-ul-Madaris, situated in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Twenty-one people, mostly Madaressa students, were injured in the incident.

10 vehicles taken away

KARACHI: Bandits looted thousands of rupees, gold ornaments and electrical appliances besides taking away 10 vehicles from the various parts of the city on Monday.

Armed men looted cash, jewellery and other valuables from the Shaukat Reza's house in Sharifabad; deprived Abdul Rasheed of cash in Jamshed Quarters; cash, gold ornaments and electrical appliances from a house in Gulshan-e-Iqbal; and cash, jewellery and other valuables from a house in Buffer Zone.

Bandits took away three cars, one truck, one Suzuki Highroof, one taxi and four motorcycles while police claimed that they recovered six cars and one motorcycle. Ayesha Maqbool, 35, was knocked down to death by a speeding Hiace near 2-K bus stop in North Nazimabad while she was crossing the road.

The Taimuria Police have arrested the driver, Pervaiz, and impounded the vehicle. Qadir Khan, 55, was killed when a speedy hit-and-run vehicle ran over him in the Korangi Industrial Area, while he was going on his motorcycle.

A drowning body of an unidentified 70-year-old man was recovered from the sea at Clifton Beach. The MLO JPMC said that the body was at least one day old. Tariq Saeed, Khaliq Ali and Nadeem Ali were injured when their speedy Suzuki Mehran collided with a coach on the Super Highway.

Meanwhile, KWSB employees found a skeleton while digging the ground in Gulistan-e-Jauhar area, police said. Police shifted the bones to the JPMC. According to MLO, the skeleton was at least five years' old.

Punjab usurping rights of smaller provinces: PONM

QUETTA: The leaders of Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM) have alleged that the "Punjabi rulers" were "usurping" the national rights and the resources of the smaller province."

They observed that the time had come and they would snatch the rights and the resources of the oppressed nations from the oppressors by all means. They vowed to safeguard the interests of Pashtoons, Balochs, Sindhis and Seraikis in the country.

Prominent among the speakers included PONM Convener and chief of Balochistan National Party (BNP) Sardar Ataullah Mengal, Chief of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Chief of BNM Senator Dr Abdul Haye Baloch, Imdad Shah, Rasool Bakhsh Palejo, Dr Qadir Magsi, Hameed Asghar Shaheen and Abdul Majeed Kanjo.

They said: "Pakistan is a home of five nationalities ie Pashtoon, Baloch, Sindhi, Punjabi and Seraiki and in a federation all the federating units enjoy equal rights." But in our country the Punjabi rulers were treating the other nationalities as slaves, they regretted.

They warned that the rulers must change their attitude if they were interested to keep the federation intact, otherwise they would be responsible for the consequences. The stated that the PONM was neither formed to harm the federation nor the leaders of the movement were against the ideology of the country.

The leaders of PONM said that they would not allow the rulers to crush the movement in the name of ideology of Pakistan and added that the only solution to the problems was to recognise the rights of the smaller nationalities in the country so as to steer the country out of present constitutional and political crisis. "We have changed various faces and the country remains in the crisis. The only solution of the crisis was to change the system and to satisfy the oppressed nationalities," the said.

US again criticizes action against protesters
WASHINGTON, Sept 27: The US on Monday accused the Nawaz Sharif government of trying to suppress peaceful protests and said the US was concerned about these mass arrests.

A statement issued by spokesman James Rubin called upon the government to carry out the responsibility to preserve the rights of free speech and press and peaceful assembly.

The statement was issued by the State Department on its own and was apparently an attempt to balance the impression created by its earlier statements against any extra-constitutional overthrow of the Nawaz Government.

James Rubin said: "On Saturday, Sept 25, Pakistani police arrested several hundred persons prior to a planned opposition demonstration. This appears to have been an attempt to suppress a peaceful protest against the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. As we have said in the past, the United States is concerned about the mass arrests of opposition political party members in connection with peaceful demonstrations.

" We support the strengthening of democracy in Pakistan, and call upon Prime Minister Sharif and his government to carry out their responsibility to preserve the rights of free speech and press and peaceful assembly.

© DAWN Group of Newspapers, 1999
© JANG Group, 1999

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