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 »

Pakistan: Not quite a ‘deathly silence’

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: , , , , , , , | 11 Comments »

‘Kary Logar’ ain’t the issue

Posted on October 22, 2009 by beenasarwar

My article on the ‘Kerry Lugar Bill’ and the crisis Pk faces today – a slightly edited version of which was published in Dawn today as KLB is not the issue

Photo from the demonstration on Oct 11. Courtesy www.dawn.com

Photo from demonstration on Oct 11. Courtesy http://www.dawn.com

‘Kary Logar’ ain’t the issue

Beena Sarwar

As pressure mounted in South Waziristan with the army action, and retaliatory bombings began, a demonstration in Karachi by parties that claim religion as their raison d’etre underscored some key conflicts Pakistan faces: the requirements of justice under due process of law versus tribal, extra-judicial punishments, tensions between the elected civilian government and the ‘establishment’, and conflict between a long-standing foreign policy versus new domestic compulsions.

Continue reading →

Filed under: 'War on terror' | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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