Hameed Haroon backs HRW claims on Saleem Shahzad abduction, murder

Posted on June 2, 2011 by beenasarwar


A leading newspaper publisher in Pakistan and the president of  the nationwide newspapers body has reacted sharply  to charges by the Inter Services`Intelligence Agency (ISI) that allegations by Human Rights Watch of the intelligence agency’s involvement in the abduction and murder of  Pakistani journalist Salim Shahzad were “baseless”. Following is the full text of his statement, released to the media on June 1, 2010. Continue reading →

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‘Learn your lesson, identify the safe areas and play there…’

Posted on June 1, 2011 by beenasarwar

Saleem Shehzad - facebook page photo

Just posted to my beena-issues yahoogroup:

Uploaded to my blog: HRCP URGENT APPEAL for Muzaffar Bhutto, Gen. Secy Jeay Sindh Muttaheda Mahaz.

Another disappearance on Sunday didn’t end well. I felt sick hearing the news that Saleem Shehzad, the Asia Times correspondent who had gone ‘missing’ from Islamabad, was found dead, with torture marks on his body. As I write this, his body, exhumed from a hurriedly dug grave at the behest of a judge, was being sent for a second autopsy to establish the cause of death. Continue reading →

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HRCP *URGENT APPEAL*: Abduction of Mr. Muzaffar Bhutto, General Secretary of Jeay Sindh Muttaheda Mahaz (JSMM)

Posted on June 1, 2011 by beenasarwar

Sent: Monday, May 30, 2011
Subject: URGENT APPEAL HRCP: Abduction of Mr. Muzaffar Bhutto, General Secretary of Jeay Sindh Muttaheda Mahaz (JSMM)

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan requests your urgent intervention in the following situation

Description of the situation:

Mr. Muzaffar Bhutto, General Secretary of Jeay Sindh Muttaheda Mahaz (JSMM) has been abducted for the second time by the agencies. Jeay Sindh Mutttaheda Mahaz( JSMM) is a nationalist party of Sindh province, Pakistan.

He was traveling in his car with his wife and younger brother on 25 February 2011, when they reached Saeeabad Tool Plaza, Hyderabad his car was stopped by plainclothes people belonging to intelligence agencies of Pakistan and he was taken away. Continue reading →

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Peace activists urge India-Pakistan Judicial Committee to make efforts for release of prisoners

Posted on April 24, 2011 by beenasarwar

July 2010: Indian fishermen being bussed to Wagah border for repatriation

Received earlier today from Jatin Desai

Press Release: Peace activists urge India-Pakistan Judicial Committee to make efforts for release of prisoners

Pakistani and Indian peace activists have urged India-Pakistan Judicial Committee on Prisoners to recommend to both the governments to immediately release all Pakistani and Indian prisoners who are languishing in each other’s jails even after completing their periods of sentence and to establish a Joint Commission to devise a mechanism to determine and demarcate the maritime boundaries in a way that is visible to the fishermen of both countries. Continue reading →

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Dr Chishty incarceration: details from his daughter Amna Chishty

Posted on April 17, 2011 by beenasarwar

Photo of Dr Chishty taken in 2007 when his daughter was able to visit him

16th April 2011

Details of my father’s case:

Before I go into his case a brief background of my father:

He is almost 80 years old. He received his PhD from University of Edinburgh, Scotland in 1968 in Public Health Virology. He had an illustrious career as a professor and head of department of virology and microbiology at Karachi University. In the late 80’s he retired from his last job as the Director of Public Health at King Abdul Aziz Airport in Jeddah Saudi Arabia. He is a principled man who is well‐read, well bred and well traveled. He worked hard to raise a family of six children – one son (oldest, with engineering diploma), five daughters (one is a doctor, one is a Pharmacologist, two are graduates and myself an MBA in marketing). He educated us and built a house for us in Karachi and supported his younger brother in India as well. After retirement he wanted to live in that house in Karachi and enjoy his retirement with his family and his grandchildren.

The following events led to his current plight: Continue reading →

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Personal Political: Faiz and ‘Anthems of Resistance’

Posted on March 28, 2011 by beenasarwar

Published in The News on Sunday yesterday: The power of ideas

Andy McCord responding to a question at the Faiz panel. Photo: Beena Sarwar


by Beena Sarwar

I am no great expert on Faiz but his poetry speaks to me, touches my heart just as much as it does every other liberal, progressive, secular-minded person I know. Perhaps his poetry, with its universal messages about truth and justice, sorrows and joys that are just simply human messages, also touches some hearts that are not progressive and secular.

There’s also a personal connection that was put in context last weekend at a discussion on Faiz at panel organised at the Left Forum (formerly the Socialist Scholars Conference that became an annual event starting in 1981). I was roped into moderating it after the original moderator David Barsamian, the well-known radio producer and journalist (and fluent Urdu speaker), couldn’t make it at the last minute. Continue reading →

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Condolence meeting for Fatehyab Ali Khan

Posted on October 3, 2010 by beenasarwar

Just posted to the Dr Sarwar blog:

Dear friends,

Please attend a condolence meeting for our late respected comrade Fatehyab Ali Khan, political leader, activist, intellectual, Executive Director, Pakistan Institute of International Affairs, Sun, Oct 3, 5.30pm, Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi. Please spread the word. Thank you.

On behalf of Iqbal Alavi Irtiqa Institute of Social Sciences

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Prominent Indian citizens condemn violence in Kashmir on Eid Day, demand inquiry

Posted on September 13, 2010 by beenasarwar

In a press note released today, prominent Indian citizens have condemned violence in Kashmir on Eid Day and demanded an inquiry. Received from People’s Initiative on Jammu & Kashmir (c/o Confederation of Voluntary Associations, COVA, 20-4-10, Charminar Hyderabad, A.P. India; Ph:+91-40-24572984; Email: covanetwork@gmail.com

Violence in Kashmir on Eid Day: Condemnation and Demand for Enquiry

SEPT 13: We condemn strongly and unequivocally the incidences of violence and arson in Srinagar on the day of Eid by some miscreants. Continue reading →

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Excellent, current maps of flood situation

Posted on August 29, 2010 by beenasarwar

Excellent, current maps that show the situation in #Pakistan, the flooding and relief efforts. http://bit.ly/bm6CwZ Via @HumanityRoad

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20 Million Pakistanis in Desperate Need:

Posted on August 25, 2010 by beenasarwar

20 Million Pakistanis in Desperate Need: Why So Little Media Attention? Brookings on #Pkflood http://bit.ly/cdKeJD #Pakistan

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