The Emergency Times 16

The Emergency Times Please Photocopy and Distribute

Nov 23rd, 2007

1

The Emergency Times Quote of the Day “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled”. -Plutarch

Pakistan suspended from Commonwealth Pakistan has been suspended from the Commonwealth because of its imposition of emergency rule, the organization has announced after a meeting in Uganda. Secretary General Don McKinnon said Pakistan was being suspended "pending restoration of democracy and the rule of law". Earlier Pakistan's Supreme Court dismissed a legal challenge to Pervez Musharraf's reelection as president.

Quaid-e-Azam University Protest continues 1500 students shout their defiance Students from Quaid-e- Azam University continued to protest against the emergency on Thursday, observing a Black Day and marking the event by making a human chain. One of the largest ever student protests in the country for decades, it consisted of around 1500 students and faculty members, chanting anti-emergency slogans and demanding the restoration of the judiciary and the constitution. The QAU protest campaign is nearing the end of its third week, interrupted only by holidays and Fridays. We reaffirm our support to and solidarity with the QAU students. Our struggle against injustice is one and the same.

LUMS protest continues: Press Release

Lahore 22.11.2007: The protests at LUMS continued unabated on Thursday and throughout the week. Two flash protests were held in DHA earlier in the week, while today, a banner was signed by students not just from LUMS but also by students from all over Pakistan attending the LUMS Model United Nations. The Disclaimer: This publication is not affiliated with or does not endorse any political party or social group. It is a humble effort to inspire and make aware- for we together can make a difference in these troubled times. Write to us at [email protected]. Our online version is on pakistanmartiallaw.blogspot.com

The Emergency Times Please Photocopy and Distribute

Nov 23rd, 2007

2

students were demanding the restoration of the judiciary, freeing the protest prisoners, and the independence of the media. The recent crackdown on political debate in universities by the federal government was widely condemned by the student body. It directly contradicts General Musharraf's proclaimed agenda of bringing 'enlightened moderation' to this country. Building walls around people's minds can never achieve any kind of enlightenment. This move is evidence that the government's increasingly oppressive policies are now beginning to cast a shadow in the private sphere as well. As one student in LUMS put it, one wonders if the next ban will be on political debate in the household. The question is, does General Musharraf want to turn this country into Stalinist Russia?

Political Debate banned in Colleges, Universities (Courtesy DAWN) ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: The federal government on Tuesday imposed a ban on open debate on media curbs, suspension of judges and emergency in all colleges and universities in the country. Well-placed sources said students of various universities and colleges in Islamabad had been strongly protesting against emergency rule, curbs on the media and suspension of judges, for the last few days to express solidarity with the electronic media. Taking notice of the situation, the federal government has banned debate in all colleges and universities and warned of strict action against violators. Students, civil society activists and others have been continuously protesting against the imposition of emergency for the last 12 days. (Yet another milestone of the Police State. One wonders if a separate directive will be issued for households soon.)

We Shall Overcome S.M Then they came for me But by that time There was no one left to speak up -Martin Niemoller Once the lawyers, political activists and journalists were either in jail or being beaten half to death, Musharraf expected little opposition. But opposition came from an unexpected corner – the students. As protests continued in different parts of the country, Musharraf saw that the students' involvement gave heart to the activists, lawyers and journalists who had feared their movement might die as they were jailed. So, piqued, he thought to himself, 'Obviously, since I've spent about 2% of the budget on education, these students can't have been taught very well. They really don't understand what an emergency means. I must make it clear to them, say it out in so many words!' And so, along came our fearless leader's and his regime's latest pearl of wisdom to lead this country away from extremism and political suicide – NO POLITICAL DEBATE ALLOWED IN ANY UNIVERSITY! Why is this a problem? Why don't we all just go to college/university, study our economics, maths, computer science, and social sciences, and graduate safely? It's important because the very point of a university is to encourage debate, to analyse, criticise and demand change. If there is to be a restriction on what we can or can not discuss, then we might as well sit at home, read our books and take our exams privately. But we do not do that. We go to schools and universities so that we can meet people with ideas and opinions different from our own. Such interaction stimulates us to think and accept a variety of views. Disclaimer: This publication is not affiliated with or does not endorse any political party or social group. It is a humble effort to inspire and make aware- for we together can make a difference in these troubled times. Write to us at [email protected]. Our online version is on pakistanmartiallaw.blogspot.com

The Emergency Times Please Photocopy and Distribute

Nov 23rd, 2007

3

Therefore, by cracking down on political debate in universities, Musharraf is attacking the education system itself. On the one hand, this development does chalk one up for the students. The protests being held by a generation thought to be entirely politically apathetic are clearly bothering General Musharraf and his posse. On the other hand though, it causes some concerns. Can our professors still have a discussion in class as to the legitimacy of our 'President', his chosen minions, and their policies? Does this mean that Musharraf himself can not come and address a gathering of students? How about Benazir? Or Negroponte? One could go on with this list of questions. There is also of course the problem of the government actually trying to stifle political debate on campuses. Will we let it do so? Maybe it's my imagination, but I can hear a resounding 'NO' coming from somewhere. As part of an academic community, it is every student's right to hold political debates. Furthermore, it is also every student's right to critique their government. Musharraf has already placed restrictions on what media we can access. He has taken away our right to movement, assembly, speech – oh wait, he's taken away ALL our rights! Now, he's interfering with what we can talk about at university. Tomorrow, he'll be telling you that you can't hold a political debate in your house, and the day after, it'll be that you can't put up an anti-emergency banner in your room. No one should have to remind you that history has seen crackdowns like this before. No one needs to tell you what happened as a result of them. We've all heard of Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin (to mention just a few). At the end of the day, this fight is about you. It is about your life and what you deserve as human beings and as citizens of Pakistan. It is unfortunate that we have to fight for our basic human rights at all, but if we must, then we shall!

Teachers joining the Movement By now it should become apparent to this government, that their up against not just lawyers. With students and civil society members already behind the legal fraternity in the protest movement, teachers have now begun to step up protests in universities across the country. University teachers announce two-hour boycott of classes (The News): PESHAWAR: Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff has decided to boycott classes from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in all public sector universities of the province to protest what they called the noncooperation of the Higher Education Commission (HEC). A statement issued here Tuesday said that teachers would not deliver lectures in the duration but would attend a protest meeting in the convocation hall and would arrange a walk to show solidarity with civil society and condemn human rights violation, curbs on media and imposition of emergency by the government.

Punjab University Teachers charged with Sedition As a continuation of the attack on all civil institutions, the illegal and unconstitutional government of Gen. Musharraf has instituted sedition charges against the following 14 members of the academic staff of Punjab University: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Dr. Mumtaz Salik, President, Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) Dr. Asmatullah, Secretary General, PUASA Dr. Haris Rashid, Director, Centre for High Energy Physics Samee Uzair, Law College Amanullah, Law College

Disclaimer: This publication is not affiliated with or does not endorse any political party or social group. It is a humble effort to inspire and make aware- for we together can make a difference in these troubled times. Write to us at [email protected]. Our online version is on pakistanmartiallaw.blogspot.com

The Emergency Times Please Photocopy and Distribute

Nov 23rd, 2007

4

6. Mujahid Mansoori, ICS 7. Dr. Shafiq Jallandhari, ICS 8. Nayyar Raza Zaidi, Director, IBIT 9. Dr. Mujahid Kamran, Chairman, Department of Physics 10. Ziaullah Shah, IER 11. Rana Majid IER 12. Prof. Bashir Ahmad, Pharmacy College 13. Prof. Chaudhry Muhammad Nazir, Department of Geology 14. Prof. Abdul Ghaffar, Department of Geography These academics have been charged with sedition and provoking the masses against the government for its action of imposing emergency and promulgating the PCO. This FIR was registered after the above teachers had taken part in demonstrations against the promulgation of emergency and for the restoration of the constitution and the judiciary. These were peaceful protests held inside the campus. It should be noted that the maximum penalty for sedition is death.

FAST Administration threatened by Military Intelligence Military Intelligence has threatened the director of FAST, one of the country’s premier educational institutions, with closure of the university if students are not barred from holding protests, rallies or distributing anti-government pamphlets or blogging. An alumnus of the institution, an active member of the protest movement, on condition of anonymity said that their phones were being tapped, their activities monitored and they were on the ‘Red Line’.

General Musharraf: What he says, what he does Academics for Freedom General Musharraf has been unusually prolific with his statements over the last 10 days. Here are some things he said (in bold text) followed by what he actually did, and therefore, what I think he may really have been trying to say. “This has been the smoothest transition from one government to the next” (at the swearing-in ceremony of the interim Prime Minister): I put the entire country under a state of emergency; barred the real judiciary from commenting on the legitimacy of political processes; arrested all my political opponents; and once everyone, and their supporters, were safely behind bars or under house arrest or denied entry into the country (even though the silly courts said we should allow them back in); I dissolved the assembly and brought in my OWN party’s sitting Senate Chairman as Prime Minister. I’m told this is a complete violation of the Constitution. My response – what’s one more! “I want balanced politics and democracy” (from the Sky News interview). With my party still in power in the interim government, with my party’s nazims firmly in place in most districts, thanks to a highly rigged 2005 local government election, with political rallies banned and with political leaders and their supporters under constant threat of arrest, we should now be able to have completely fair and free elections. “This is the essence of democracy” (Musharraf’s favourite new phrase). “I want freedom of expression” (from the Sky News interview). Disclaimer: This publication is not affiliated with or does not endorse any political party or social group. It is a humble effort to inspire and make aware- for we together can make a difference in these troubled times. Write to us at [email protected]. Our online version is on pakistanmartiallaw.blogspot.com

The Emergency Times Please Photocopy and Distribute

Nov 23rd, 2007

5

I know I’ve closed all media channels, but that’s because “I don’t like the intentional distortion of facts by the media” (his own words). I’m much happier with my own distortion of facts, and I am particularly comfortable with the twisted facts that my pet Chaudhries present in their speeches. That’s why I have allowed one neutral channel, PTV, to keep operating. These are the only distorted facts that you should have to see. You see, I am once again thinking only about Pakistanis. “I want positive vibes and non-confrontational politics” (from the Sky News interview): And the best way to ensure that is to turn this into a police state. I want the police to confront and attack every citizen in this country if he/she should speak against my enlightened form of democracy and nonconfrontational politics, and to lock up any political opponents. You see, if they are locked up, there will be no confrontation, and that “is the essence of democracy”. And the best for last – “In my mind and in my heart, I want democracy”: It’s just in my actions that I cannot seem to reveal that to anyone. I’m very good at keeping matters of the heart secret”.

Letter of Support by LUMS Students to SHC, LHC and SC Judges Dear Sir, Our generation - born and bred in the politically disappointing decade of 1990s that ushered in another military rule in Pakistan - had always doubted the possibility of change. Our parents and peers told us that the only way to live in the country was to subject our ideals to the “system” and that the only code of conduct was that of bribery and bullying. They quoted history books and told us how pointless it was to struggle for justice and democracy in Pakistan. Newspapers and TV channels simply added facts that proved their arguments and our own little experiences with “practical life” verified them. We didn’t see people around us as good and bad, or right and wrong, but simply as the smart and the stupid in terms of their dealings with political reality. We weren’t able to take any sides because we didn’t see any. All we saw was a jumble of interests, each and every one of which could be compromised at a certain price. The theories and principles we learned at school and college seemed utterly devoid of any relevance to our real lives. But then we saw some people fighting, not for their personal material interests, but for ideas and institutions. Ideas and institutions that form the basis of justice and democracy. We saw them fighting with a passion and selflessness that simply astounded our conventional understanding. We also saw them being oppressed and tortured with such heartlessness that offended the very notion of being human. For the first time in our lives, we saw a conflict where compromise was not an option. For the first times in our lives, we were in doubt about which side to take. Many judges of superior courts have been put under house arrest. Hundreds of lawyers have been arrested, put under house arrest or forced to go underground. Despite all this, thousands of them are resolved to take the fight to its rightful end, and are bravely facing the inhumane violence being meted out to them on the orders of a power-hungry military dictator. But let us assure you, the lawyers are not alone in this struggle. We, the students of LUMS and those of many other universities, have joined lawyers in many protests for the independence of judiciary and have witnessed the despicable yoke of dictatorship with our own naked eyes. We have also witnessed the purity of intentions with which lawyers have struggled to throw off this yoke. This purity of intentions and resolve has shown us a much-awaited glimmer of hope. It has shown us the possibility of change. Disclaimer: This publication is not affiliated with or does not endorse any political party or social group. It is a humble effort to inspire and make aware- for we together can make a difference in these troubled times. Write to us at [email protected]. Our online version is on pakistanmartiallaw.blogspot.com

The Emergency Times Please Photocopy and Distribute

Nov 23rd, 2007

6

For giving us this glimmer of hope, this tangible inspiration, this possibility of change, we thank you. For your courage and resolve, for your steadfastness, for your selflessness, we salute you. For carrying on the struggle and showing all of Pakistan what a principled stand really means, we congratulate you. And rest assured, we won’t let you down. Signed, The Student body of the Lahore University of Management Sciences.

Disclaimer: This publication is not affiliated with or does not endorse any political party or social group. It is a humble effort to inspire and make aware- for we together can make a difference in these troubled times. Write to us at [email protected]. Our online version is on pakistanmartiallaw.blogspot.com