Women rock the boat

Posted on March 8, 2011 by beenasarwar

Pakistani women demand their rights. Photo: courtesy Nasir Mansoor, LPP

WOMEN’S DAY RALLY IN KARACHI: Thousands of working class women, many of them home based women workers, with red flags in their hands marched on roads of Karachi, chanting slogans against ‘mullahism’, religious extremism and for their democratic rights. The march started from Karachi Press Club and culminated at the Arts Council of Pakistan where a seminar was held in the open air theatre followed by songs, theatre and documentaries. They demanded: *End all discriminatory laws against women and minorities *End religious fundamentalism *Recognize home based women workers as workers in law, extend social security cover to them *Equal opportunity to women in all fields of life

Also see: Dedicated to Pyari Pakistanis: Happy Women’s Day, y’all! – a delightful sum up of the situation of Pakistani women, with statistics and action points, by blogger and cartoonist Mehreen Kasana. Check it out 🙂

Karachi rally speakers and demands: Continue reading →

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Protest: Shahbaz Bhatti murder, vigilante action, incitements to violence

Posted on March 4, 2011 by beenasarwar

Open letter to The President, Prime Minister, Interior Minister, Chief Justice, and heads of all political parties, Pakistan

Protest & demand for action regarding Shahbaz Bhatti murder, vigilantism, and incitements to violence in Pakistan – signature campaign initiated by Citizens for Democracy. Deadline for endorsements: Monday March 7, midnight Pakistan time, after which signatures will be compiled and sent to the recipients and to media. Endorsements can be made at the CFD blog, or via email to cfd.pak@gmail.com. Please share with friends. If anyone wants to translate it and circulate, please feel free. Thanks.
Blog: citizensfordemocracy.wordpress.com | Twitter @cfdpk | Text also posted below Continue reading →

Filed under: Human rights | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

‘In the political tug of war it’s the poor and helpless that hurt the most’

Posted on March 3, 2011 by beenasarwar

Geet Chainani conducting a medical camp in a village near Dadu, Sindh

“I, an American, a New Yorker used to the harsh winter and snowy weather yet, I am freezing in Pakistan. My heart goes out to those suffering the cold winter without shelter, blankets, clothing. May God provide you with his soldiers to keep fighting for the injustices meted out to you. May we all be able to look beyond the differences and reach out a helping hand.” – Geet Chainani, Dec 15, 2010

My article on an Indian-American doctor who comes to Pakistan in search of her Sindhi roots… and finds a sense of peace working for flood-affected women and children, published in Aman ki Asha, March 2, 2011 (as another Indian put it – “not Akhand Bharat, but Akhand Insaniyat”) Continue reading →

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Murders most foul

Posted on March 2, 2011 by beenasarwar

Salute to Naeem Sabir and Shahbaz Bhatti: dedicated human rights workers, paid with their lives for speaking out for the truth and for justice.

Yesterday we heard the tragic news about the cold-blooded murder of human rights activist Naeem Sabir, HRCP coordinator in Khuzdar, Balochistan. We had yet to recover from that blow when assassins gunned down Federal Minister for Minority Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti, who was the only Christian member of the cabinet.

There is outrage and anger at these cowardly acts that have deprived Pakistan of two dedicated human rights activists just when we needed them most. It is heartening that citizens in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad assembled at very short notice to protest, however small in numbers they may have been.

Here’s my response to an email quoting the famous saying “They came for the Socialists and I didn’t speak…”:

People are speaking out. Protests were held today, convened by Citizens for Democracy, in front of Karachi Press Club 5.30 pm, Lahore Press Club 3.00 pm and then on Mall Road, Islamabad opposite Mr Books at 6.30 pm. Another protest in Islamabad is scheduled on March 3 at 5.00 pm at the same venue.

Also tomorrow Mar 3rd, 2011, 11 am – protest at Miran Muhammad Shah Road near Hyderabad Press Club, via Movement for Peace and Tolerance (MPT) and Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC)

But it’s not enough. Also, our fight is not on the streets in competition with the mullahs who can bring thousands of brain washed youth from their captive audience madrassahs and ‘religious parties’. We have to fight through Parliament, rule of law, ideas and public positions eg statements at CFD blog – http://citizensfordemocracy.wordpress.com – pamphlets in local languages etc.

Unfortunately, our ideas don’t get much space in the mainstream television channels, that are in general more interested in talk shows that fan conflict (get more ratings) rather than in propagating responsible ideas that make people think…

I also want to share this note from Kamran Shafi: “You and I and other friends can protest until we are blue in the face, it will make no difference as long as the Deep State goes on supporting these extremist obscurantists. It is time we picketed the Establishment itself if we are to save this country from its nosedive into the shadows of hate and intolerance. We need slogans like: ‘Murderers cannot be this country’s “STRATEGIC ASSETS”‘! WE ARE!'”

Please also see posts at Citizens for Democracy, Gawaahi.com and this excellent post by Kalsoom Lakhani at  Changing Up Pakistan, (CHUP), which includes a video of Shahbaz Bhatti.

Filed under: Blasphemy Laws | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Times Square Rally for Interfaith Solidarity, Mar 6, 2011

Posted on March 1, 2011 by beenasarwar

From Salman Ahmad

PRESS RELEASE:  For immediate release

Times Square Rally Demonstrating Interfaith Solidarity

Community Leaders, Local Officials, and Religious Leaders Protest the Targeting of American Muslims and Arabs in Upcoming Congressional Hearings

New York – On Sunday March 6, 2011, at 2.00 pm a broad coalition of over 75 interfaith, nonprofit, governmental, and civil liberties groups will rally in support of equitable civil rights for all Americans.

This coalition has been formed in response to upcoming Congressional hearings led by Peter King (R-LI) which slight the civil rights of Muslim and Arab Americans. Continue reading →

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20 years of The News: Witness to history

Posted on February 28, 2011 by beenasarwar

If you haven’t got the print edition – a 99-page collector’s item – check out this PDF copy of The News 20th Anniversary issue. Articles by Maleeha Lodhi, Ghazi Salahuddin, Azhar Abbas, Rahimullah Yusufzai, Sahar Ali, Amir Zia, Khaliq Zuberi, Farah Zia, Salman Rashid, Talath Naqvi, Zia Mohyeddin, Umber Khairi, Maheen Usmani, Sarwat Ali (my ‘encyclopaedia’), Anil Dutta, Shafqat Mahmood, Mayed Ali, Masood Hasan, Amir Mateen, Khalid Hussain (who took over as Sports Editor after Gul Hameed Bhatti’s illness), cartoonist Akhter Shah, and many others who have been part of this venture if not from the start then almost from the start. Many have been associated with The News on Sunday (TNS). Includes my piece on TNS, posted to this blog earlier. Well done, Sheher Bano, for putting this together. And thanks for including the section commemorating colleagues who are no longer with us, like Kaleeem Omar, Zulekha Ali, Najma Hazir, Hameed Zaman and others. May they rest in peace.

Filed under: Media | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Changing the media landscape – article about ‘The News on Sunday’ for The News 20th anniversary issue)

Posted on February 26, 2011 by beenasarwar

Editor with Reporter: Probably discussing what to get for lunch. Photo: Rahat Ali Dar

For The News 20th anniversary supplement, published Feb 22, 2011.

The News on Sunday:  Changing the media landscape

By Beena Sarwar

The News on Sunday was launched in 1994, as The News on Friday, Pakistan’s first weekend newspaper – Friday was then a weekly holiday. In 1997, the name change itself reflected the ideological confusions that abound in Pakistan, where religion is freely used for political purposes, and as an excuse to retain the status quo.

Clearly, religion is conveniently dispensed with if it clashes with, say, financial interests, as when Nawaz Sharif, the country’s businessman-prime minister who was otherwise careful to keep the ‘religious’ lobby happy, reverted to Sunday as Pakistan’s weekly holiday. In doing so, he overturned a move made 20 years earlier by Z.A. Bhutto who had sought to consolidate power by playing the religious card. Nawaz Sharif’s decision was motivated by financial considerations, over-ruling the opposition of the conservatives. It indicated that anything is possible with political will, even reversing a decision taken in the name of religion. Continue reading →

Filed under: Media | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Revolution?

Posted on February 23, 2011 by beenasarwar

My two bits: Those calling for a ‘revolution’ in Pakistan to get rid of the current government and especially President Zardari might consider that THE reason Pakistan has been unable to move forward is that the political process is never allowed to continue. People tolerate military regimes for a decade or more, but get impatient with an elected government within months and don’t want to give it five years to complete its term and let the next be duly elected.

I endorse CFD’s one-point agenda – get religion out of politics.

Filed under: Progressive politics | Tagged: , | 6 Comments »

Letter to chief justice: injustice done to Mozareen

Posted on February 23, 2011 by beenasarwar

Feb 21, 2011

To:
The honorable Chief Justice of Pakistan
The honorable Chief Justice of Lahore high Court Lahore
The Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister House, Lahore

Subject: Police & Administration has violated the law just to facilitate Jagirdars

Respected Sir,

I would like to submits that I filed a case regarding 2000 Acres of Land situated at chak No. 95/p & 98/p district Rahim Yar Khan. The land was grabbed by the Choudhry Monis Elahi and his agents (in) Rahim Yar Khan. One of them is Ch. Imtiayaz ex-MNA of PML-Q. They used police of the district and DPO Rahim Yar Khan acted as their puppet. The land was owned by the Government of Punjab and after getting forged and fictitious documents the culprits got the land transferred on their names. Continue reading →

Filed under: Human rights | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Gawaahi (Witness): testimonies of abuse, survival, resistance

Posted on February 18, 2011 by beenasarwar
Happy to get this email from fellow journalist and activist Naveen Naqvi:
“I am happy to report that our site, Gawaahi.com is now online. Gawaahi.com aims to archive digital stories of abuse, survival and resistance.
If you are interested in how we came about, please visit our site and read Gawaahi.com – our story.
You can find more information on our mission and team in our About page. If you see the page titled Our Partners, you will see the wonderful support we have received even before launch.”
Great going (and I love this visual by Zaina Anwar)!

Filed under: Gender | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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