Liaqat Baagh The Battlefield

Liaqat Baagh…..the battle field Written by: Jawad Mazhar (ROD)

Law enforcement agencies and police perpetrated severe torture and baton charge on Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) workers in a bid to pre-empt them gathering at Liaqat Baagh to protest against the Emergency imposed by the President Musharraf in the country. PPP Chief Benazir Bhutto taken into house arrest and scores of PPP & APMA political activist arrested from different places from all across the country, particularly from the Punjab province. Twin cities of Islamabad & Rawalpindi were sealed for all kinds of incoming traffic to prevent the workers gather at Liaqat Baagh. Talking to the ROD on phone APMA chief Shahbaz Bhatti said “PPP and APMA were to stage a protest rally at Liaqat Baagh, Rawalpindi on Friday Nov, 9th, 2007 against the promulgation of emergency, suspension of basic human rights and banning the media” Shahbaz Bhatti also said that APMA would keep on struggling until the restoration of the constitution, human rights and democracy in Pakistan. APMA’s Provincial director of Sindh and Member of Provincial Assembly of Sindh Saleem Khursheed Khokhar apprised ROD that more than 68 APMA activists has been detained from different parts of the Punjab while they were trying to reach Liaqat Baagh. Khokhar added that police took APMA workers heavy handed and wielded baton charge in a barbarian way at the Committee Chowk (square) and Attock Bridge. Saleem Khursheed Khokhar maintained that an army officer has desecrated the constitution by usurping the judiciary and making Parliament a rubber stamp. Talking about the government’s assault against the political workers Khokhar said that the police and other agencies blocked the roads leading to Liaqat Baagh, arrested workers and searched every public vehicle which was ferrying people to the Country’s Capital or Rawalpindi. APMA’s zonal chief of Sargodha Tahir Naveed Chaudhary said that officials obstructed the Attock Bridge and stopped two buses there, which were taking workers to Rawalpindi and tortured them harshly. Chaudhary said that caravan from Faisalabad was stopped at Chakkri and workers from Nankana were stopped at Sohavah near Rawalpindi. Talking about the strict measures taken by the government, Sargodha’s Zonal Chief Tahir Naveed Chaudhary said that official even did not allow a flying bird to enter Rawalpindi today. He expressed his concern as APMA’s director of Punjab Mr Khalid Gill is missing and they are totally unable to contact or locate him. Another APMA worker Malik Arif Khokhar has been detained as well added Chaudhary. In a joint statement Tahir Naveed Chaudhary & Saleem Khursheed Khokhar asserted that on Nov 13th during the long march from Lahore to Islamabad they’ll prove that all the people of Pakistan wants to get rid of Musharraf’s regime. They avowed that they would stage sit down strike in front of the Official Residence of President of Pakistan against the

infliction of emergency by demanding schedule of elections, release of lawyers, media men and political and human rights activists. APMA chief Shahbaz Bhatti condemned the Emergency imposed by the army general and appealed the world’s able leaders to come forward to help us restore constitution and democracy in Pakistan. Jawad Mazhar ends.