Posted on March 12, 2011 by beenasarwar
Say No to Violence & to a Denial of our Civil Rights
Join CFD’s mass letter-writing campaign, for which people are gathering to add their signatures on letters addressed to the President of Pakistan, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Chief Ministers of all four provinces. “We are demanding from those in positions of power to take appropriate actions to reverse the erosion of our civil and human rights and to uphold the rule of law without fear or favour. Please join us in a mass letter campaign – we are your peaceful fellow citizens, struggling to survive with dignity, and yet trying to preserve our inalienable democratic rights. The purpose of this campaign is to allow all citizens to speak out in support of inter-faith harmony and to resist a growing climate of religious intolerance in Pakistan,” says a press release.
Support Citizens for Democracy, 11 am to 7pm TODAY (Saturday, March 12, 2011) at Jahangir Kothari Parade (opposite Park Towers), Clifton, Karachi. Bring postage stamps and friends
Filed under: Progressive politics | Tagged: Activism, cfd, Pakistan, shahbaz bhatti, signature campaign, vigilante violence | 3 Comments »
Posted on March 10, 2011 by beenasarwar
Rally organised by the Movement for Peace and Tolerance (MPT) and Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC) in Hyderabad, joined and addressed by a large number of civil society, peace and human rights activists, lawyers, writers and concerned citizens.. Photo: Zulfiqar Shah
Email to Gwynne Dyer, March 10, 2011:
Dear Mr Dyer:
Regarding your article ‘Deathly Silence Prevails in Pakistan’ published in several newspapers and reproduced by NewAgeIslam website where I saw it – you make some valid comments but to say that there is a deathly silence is untrue and unfair.
Many people in Pakistan have been raising a voice, fighting for their rights and against vigilante violence and unjust laws even before the murder of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer. The murder of Federal Minister Shahbaz Bhatti was a huge blow, but they are still speaking out. Here are some instances: Continue reading →
Filed under: Blasphemy Laws | Tagged: Activism, cfd signature campaign, gwynne dyer, newageislam, Pakistan, Salman Taseer, shahbaz bhatti, Sherry Rehman | 11 Comments »
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 →
Filed under: Gender | Tagged: cartoonist, Education, Gender, health, humour, justice, mehreen kasana, Pakistan, stereotype, Violence against women, women, women's day | 1 Comment »
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: cfd, incitements to violence, Pakistan, shahbaz bhatti, vigilante violence | 2 Comments »
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 →
Filed under: Floods | Tagged: #pkfloods, aman ki asha, flood relief, Geet Chainani, India, interfaith, Pakistan, Thatta | 6 Comments »
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: Pakistan, revolution | 6 Comments »
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: chief justice, land mafia, mozareen, Pakistan, rahim yar khan, rashid rehman advocate multan | 2 Comments »
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.
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: abuse, floods, Gender, Pakistan, resistance, take back the tech, violence | 1 Comment »
Posted on February 7, 2011 by beenasarwar
UPDATE from CFD, Feb 6, 2011: The state prosecutor appointed to prosecute Mumtaz Qadri has been provided adequate security by the government and has agreed to conduct the trial, which will not benefit from any reaction or controversy that our letters might cause. We look forward to the trial commencing, and justice being done.
Note: On Feb 14, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) is likely to formally charge-sheet Malik Mumtaz Qadri, who murdered Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer.
Filed under: Human rights | Tagged: blasphemy, case hearing, Pakistan, qadri, salmaan taseer | 4 Comments »
Posted on February 6, 2011 by beenasarwar
Please endorse Citizens for Democracy letters to President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice and Bar Associations of Pakistan seeking justice for assassinated Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer – yesterday the public prosecutor refused to appear in court, reportedly because he was not given adequate protection. He must be provided security and those threatening him dealt with according to law. “This is an utterly unacceptable situation. It is indeed a sad day when a victim cannot find legal representation but many lawyers offer to represent a murderer, gratis.We demand that the assassinated Punjab Governor be provided appropriate legal representation by the State. We demand that both the Punjab and Federal governments immediately provide the prosecutor the requisite protection to enable him to appear in court and discharge his legal duties…”
Expecting justice to be done and the rule of law to be followed…
Filed under: Blasphemy Laws | Tagged: blasphemy, Pakistan, public prosecutor, rule of law, salmaan taseer | 1 Comment »
Say No to Violence & to a Denial of our Civil Rights
Journeys to democracy 