IN-FOCUS: Hundreds of social activists arrested in Lahore
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Dear All,

This is Syed Abdul Khaliq on behalf of Farooq Tariq.

Over 100 civil society activists have been arrested from a meeting of
Joint Action Committee, at Human Rights Commission of Pakistan,
Lahore on Sunday 14.00 hrs. The meeting was called to discuss the
situation after the imposition of Emergency in the country by General
Pervez Mushraf. Police broke the windows of the hall to enter into
the meeting venue, disrupt the peaceful indoor meeting and asked the
participants to come out.

All the participants were bundled into the police vans and driven to
the Model Town Polioce Station. Among the arrested men and women
include I.A Rehman, Iqbal Hyder, Robina saigol, Azra Shad, Khalid
Mehmood, Mehboob Khan, and Salman Raja advocate. The other names
could not be identified yet.

Me and Bushra Khaliq, secretary WWHL were late from the meeting. When
we reached the HRCP office to attend the meeting at 12;30 by that
time police cordoned off the whole building and blocked the road
towards HRCP office. The police refused our entry in the meeting
hall. We stayed outside the hall for half an hour to asses the
situation.

We contacted some friends in present in the meeting on moble and
apprised them about the situation outside. More contingents of police
were pouring in. it was all a threatening scenario. gun totting
police men on red lighted vehicles and bikes can be seen all around
the HRCP hall. The police ordered all the people waiting outside the
hall to leave the place.

Meanwhile we remained in contact with some participants on phone.
They told us that police have entered in the hall, stopped the
meeting and offered the women participants to leave the venue while
all the men were told that they are arrested. The women participants
refused to go so they were also arrested along with men. later they
were all taken to police station. Police has refused to tell them the
nature and period of their detention. We are trying to get the names
of other friends arrested.

In view of the latest crackdown on political activists, Farooq Tariq,
general secretary LPP is underground to avoid arrest and police is
looking for him like grey hounds. last night a police raid was also
conducted at his Lahore residence. It is pertinent to mention that
LPP has denounced the Emergency and vowed to resist it.


(on behalf of)

Farooq Tariq
general secretary
Labour Party Pakistan
40-Abbot Road Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: 92 42 6315162
Fax: 92 42 6271149
Mobile: 92 300 8411945

Email: labourpartypk@...
www.laborpakistan.org
www.jeddojuhd.com