Activists protest detention of Baba Jan, fear torture | Gilgit-Baltistan

Posted on September 15, 2011 by beenasarwar

Baba Jan speaking at a demonstration for the flood-affected earlier this year

Farooq Tariq of the Labour Party Pakistan has sent an urgent email appeal to protest the detention of LPP federal committee member Baba Jan who had surrendered himself before an anti-terrorist court in Gilgit last week. He “has been taken out of jail in Gilgit and now the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) is torturing him on the name of investigation,” fears LPP. The judge had sent Baba Jan to prison on judicial remand instead of physical remand to the police. “He was dragged out of jail yesterday by the intelligence agencies,” alleges the alert.

Continue reading →

Filed under: Human rights | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Sindh Flood Appeal – Indus Foundation Trust

Posted on September 14, 2011 by beenasarwar

Sindh. And much of Balochistan. Submerged.

From Sherry Rehman, The Indus Foundation Trust: Sindh Flood Appeal (Scroll down for donation options and details):

Dear All,

We are thankful to all the donors who had supported IFT during 2010 Flood relief activites.

Again, the Indus Foundation Trust is taking subsistence survival packs to various locations in Sindh. Floods caused by heavy monsoon rains have devastated communities in the Sindh provinces. Continue reading →

Filed under: Floods | Tagged: , , , , , , | 11 Comments »

Personal Political: The tragedy of Karachi

Posted on September 7, 2011 by beenasarwar

Holding up a 'I ❤ KHI' t-shirt at Itwar Bazar, July 2011. Photo: Beena Sarwar

My column for Hardnews India — written on Aug 25, 2011 (although much has happened since, this provides a context and an overview of the Karachi situation).

Personal Political: The tragedy of Karachi

Beena Sarwar

“Will it be possible to write about the tragedy of Karachi…?” asked my editor.

Possible, yes. Easy, no. In two words: turf wars. But behind that is a long, complex history, bound up in money, crime, politics, power and greed. Continue reading →

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

Floods in Sindh: Please help PMA to help the affected

Posted on September 7, 2011 by beenasarwar

Children in Badin amidst rising flood waters. Image courtesy: Newsline

Urgent appeal from the Pakistan Medical Association:

The recent and continuing rain crisis has caused extensive disruption in upper and Lower Sindh lashing through Sukkur, Rohri, Pannu Aqil, Gotki, Mirpur Mathelo, Daharki, Khairpur, Thul, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Kandhkot, Shikarpur, Khanpur, Garhi Yasin, and Naushero feroz.

The ongoing torrential rains have affected 27 tehsils, more than 9,000 villages, 2.5 million acres of land and more than two million people, 85 casualties. More than 0.5 million houses have been damaged due to flash floods and downpours.

PMA has started relief and medical support in Badin,TMK, Mirpurkhas and Nawabshah. We need dry food supplies, tents, clean drinking water or water treatment tablets, medicines, powdered milk, clothes and other miscellaneous items of daily need would be useful.

Please donate items, or give a cheque in favour of “PMA” – send to: PMA House, Garden Road, Karachi, Pakistan; Phone (+92-21)-3223-1534 and (+92-21) 21-3225-1159

Dr Samrina Hashmi
President PMA Sindh

Filed under: Floods | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments »

RIP Comrade Chacha Maula Bux Khaskheli

Posted on September 1, 2011 by beenasarwar

Just received via email: The Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) announces with deep sense of bereavement pain and profound sorrow, to all the fraternal parties, comrades and friends, that Comrade Chacha Maula Bux Khaskheli, the Secretary General of the  CC of CPP, has passed away at 11 pm on 30th August, 2011.  He was 76 years old. The Communist Party of Pakistan offers LAAL SALAM (RED SALUTE) to Comrade Khaskheli for his unforgettable militant struggle and sacrifices for the party and people of Pakistan.

A BRIEF PROFILE OF COMRADE KHASKHELI: Continue reading →

Filed under: Progressive politics | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

HRW statement; and Indian citizens on abduction of Shahbaz Taseer

Posted on August 26, 2011 by beenasarwar


Shocked to learn of the abduction of slain Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer’s son Shahbaz this morning, in Lahore reportedly by four gunmen as the younger Taseer headed to his office. I join all those calling on the government, police and administration to ensure his speedy and safe recovery, and arrest and prosecution of the culprits – see statements below by Human Rights Watch, and a press release by concerned Indian citizens: Continue reading →

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

Left and nationalist parties rally and declaration on Sindh situation

Posted on August 25, 2011 by beenasarwar

Yusuf Mastikhan

“SEVEN PROGRESSIVE AND NATIONALIST PARTIES HAVE RESOLVED TO STRUGGLE AGAINST THE WELL PLANNED ETHNIC AND LINGUAL MAYHEM IN KARACHI BY ARMED TERRORIST GROUPS SUPPORTED BY PARTIES IN POWER. TO OPPOSE THIS A RALLY IS BEING ORGANIZED ON SATURDAY THE 27TH AUGUST AT 3PM FROM REGAL CHOWK TO PRESS CLUB, YOU ARE REQUESTED TO PARTICIPATE WITH YOUR FRIENDS, THANK YOU”, says an email from progressive leftist activist Yousuf Mustikhan. See below for the declaration of these parties on the Sindh Situation Continue reading →

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

Urgent appeal to support flood affectees in Pakistan

Posted on August 21, 2011 by beenasarwar

Villagers struggle to save their livestock, Badin, 2011. Photo: courtesy Dawn

Over a million people have been displaced by current floods in Pakistan. Please read the urgent appeal below from friend Abdulrahman (aka AR or Abbey), Founder & Coordinator, SA Relief, aiming to provide flood affected people at a camp in Badin with cooked meals for the next 15 days (email pkfloods@sarelief.com). Just 25 USD will feed a family of four for one week. Read on, and please help: Continue reading →

Filed under: Floods | Tagged: , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Pakistani journalists: standing tall – my article in EPW

Posted on August 11, 2011 by beenasarwar

Pakistani journalists: standing tall

Journalists in Pakistan walk a tightrope between the military and the militants, risking their lives as never before to get the truth into the public domain. They have always had to tiptoe around directly challenging the concepts upheld by the security establishment. But as a Pakistani writer and filmmaker writes, the media in Pakistan is still standing.

By: Beena Sarwar 

Economic and Political Weekly, India | Vol XLVI No.29 July 16, 2011 | PDF | Text below

Continue reading →

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

Indian pilot’s daughter writes a deeply touching reply to Pakistani pilot who shot her father’s plane down

Posted on August 11, 2011 by beenasarwar

Qais Hussain with his damaged aircraft during the 1965 war.

Thanks to Naveed Riaz in Lahore for the email that formed the basis of my report on Qais Hussain’s condolence note to Farida Singh, daughter of the Indian pilot whose plane he shot down during the 1965 war. Here’s another note Mr Riaz just sent to his email list: 

This profoundly humane episode continues to move ahead with Indian and Pakistani news channels and media bringing it increasingly to the fore today after Beena Sarwar in Karachi broke the story in Pakistan’s leading daily The News (Aman ki Asha).

Mrs Farida Singh, daughter of the deceased pilot of the Indian plane Jahangir “Jangoo” Engineer replied today to Qais’s letter of condolence four days earlier – see below (NDTV’s coverage this evening at this link). Beena’s article and Qais’s condolence letter here) Continue reading →

Filed under: Pakistan-India | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments »

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