Pakistani Politics

The government on Thursday could not stop the long march as lawyers and opposition activists kicked off their protest from Quetta and Karachi simultaneously while in the Sindh capital the police baton-charged the marchers and arrested them.

Despite threats from the government, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Ali Ahmed Kurd led the long march from Quetta. Over 500 lawyers and workers of different political parties started from the District Courts at 12:00 pm.

A number of local leaders and workers of different political parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Nazrayati), Jamaat-e-Islami, Tehreek-e-Insaaf, National Party, trade union activists and civil society representatives were among those who gave the lawyers a warm send-off.

“Our long march will be peaceful, and it will culminate in sit-in on the Constitution Avenue,” vowed Ali Ahmed Kurd while delivering a speech at the start of the long march in his traditional revolutionary style.

He criticised the administration of Sindh and the Punjab for their anti-lawyer action and denounced the arrests. He said that the lawyers and true political workers should not deviate from their stance and aim for an independent judiciary and the reinstatement of the deposed judges. The lawyers received a thumping response when they reached Mach and Dhadhar and then in Sibi on way to Sukkur.

Meanwhile in Karachi, more than 100 lawyers, political and human rights activists, who were trying to proceed to Islamabad, were arrested. Prominent lawyers and political leaders including former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Munir A Malik, Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) President Rasheed A Razvi, Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui, Shahid Ghauri and Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed along with dozens of political activists were also detained by the police at the Toll Plaza on the Super Highway. Large contingents of anti-riot police, led by SP Gadap Rao Anwaar and SSP Security Maqsood Ahmed, besides several dozen Rangers personnel were deployed at the Toll Plaza on the Super Highway to prevent the lawyers and political activists from leaving for Hyderabad.

Similarly, about 188 people were arrested from the City Courts and the Sindh High Court (SHC) premises, but were later released after the Judicial Magistrate (JM) South issued their release order. They were released on personal surety of Rs 5,000 each. Prominent among those released were the Naib Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Professor Ghafoor Ahmed, Ameer JI Sindh Asadullah Bhutto, Mohammed Hussain Mehanti, Ameer JI Karachi, former MPA Younus Barai, Hameedullah Khan, and Raja Arif Sultan.

Meanwhile Rasheed A. Razvi remained defiant after his arrest. “The long march will continue despite the arrest of lawyers and political activists,” he declared. “Lawyers who are not yet arrested must try to reach Islamabad and participate in the sit-in on the Constitution Avenue till the judiciary is restored to its November 2, 2007 position.”

Former Supreme Court (SC) judge Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed criticized the government for taking such “undemocratic and illegal” steps for stopping the lawyers’ long march and said that the people were ready to hold countless long marches for the establishment of the rule of law in the country. He termed the imposition of Section 144 unlawful and said that the government took this action to counter the lawyers’ long march.

Former SC Judge Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim said that lawyers were fulfilling their constitutional obligation under the Article 5 of the Constitution and made it clear that the lawyers’ movement was neither in favour of nor against any government or political party. “The lawyers are bound to succeed as they are on the right path and are performing their duty under the Constitution,” he declared.

In late night developments, police released at least 65 detainees including lawyers and political leaders, who were arrested early in the day for defying the Section 144, while 35 of them, mainly lawyers, were detained for 30 days under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). According to SP Gadap Rao Anwaar, those released include Munir A Malik, Rasheed A Razvi, Dr. Merajul Huda Siddiqui, Shahid Ghauri and Prof. Ghafoor Ahmed. However, 35 agitators mainly lawyers including Secretary General KBA Naeem Qureshi, Muhammad Ali Abbasi, Mahmud-ul-Hasan and 32 others were detained for 30 days under the MPO, he confirmed.

Meanwhile, goods’ transporters feared huge losses in the wake of the prevailing situation in the city. “Most of our vehicles, snatched for blocking the long march procession, were loaded with goods worth millions and they can be destroyed if an untoward incident takes place,” they said.

Karachi Goods Transport Ittehad (KGTI) representative Khalid Khan said that the entire economic activity was paralysed due to injustice to their community. “They have blocked all entry and exit points of Karachi and the Rangers have set up makeshift posts on all the three highways connecting Karachi with the rest of Pakistan,” Khan said. Expressing fear about the expected losses, he said: “Most of our goods are perishable and will be spoiled if the situation remains the same.”

Agencies add: Caravans of lawyers will merge in Sukkur. They will leave for Multan today (Friday). The lawyers’ caravans, from all over the country, will gather at the Lahore High Court Bar on March 14 and will start their journey for the Rawalpindi High Court Bar on March 15. Caravans from Gujranwala, Muridkey, Wazirabad, Gujrat, Kharian, Lala Musa, Jhelum, Gujjar Khan and Mandra will also join the main caravan.

Lawyers and opposition activists have planned to converge on the Parliament building in Islamabad on Monday and remain there until their demands are met. The government has banned protests in much of the country and arrested hundreds of lawyers and political activists.

About 300 lawyers protested in Multan, where senior police official Karamat Ali said 48 people had been arrested since Wednesday. Sources said over 3,500 lawyers and 500 workers of different political parties had arrived in different areas of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and went into hiding.

Sources said the Rawalpindi CCPO was annoyed because political leaders were being informed in advance before raids and they escaped arrests. Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Asadullah Faiz said Section 144 had been imposed in the federal capital to maintain peace and to protect lives and property of the citizens.

Talking to APP, he said: “Our focus is on beefing up the security and ensuring elaborate measures keeping in view the possible gathering in Islamabad”. He said the district administration had held meetings with representatives of lawyers and political parties so that coordination could be maintained to avert any unpleasant incident.

About 1,200 personnel of Rangers are already in Islamabad for the security purpose, while sensitive areas like the Constitution Avenue, the Diplomatic Enclave, parliament, the Supreme Court and others would be heavily guarded.

Sources said the government had decided to deploy paramilitary forces in the federal capital as part of its security plan to ensure foolproof security during the long march. They said 111 Brigade Commander Brigadier Fahim had met with Islamabad Chief Commissioner Kamran Lashari and discussed the security arrangements.

Sources said entire diplomatic corps in Islamabad consisting of western and Muslim countries had sent a letter to the Interior Ministry, expressing concerns at the security arrangement. Cabinet Division sources said the federal government had imposed a ban on the use of government vehicles. “All government officials and employees have been directed to avoid driving vehicles bearing green number plates,” they added.

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