Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, activists said that the violent conduct of the supporters of both the parties is intolerable. “We want all political parties that support democracy to flourish in the country,” said Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) chief executive Karamat Ali.
The press conference, jointly organised by a number of organisations, was attended by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology social sciences head Dr Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, trade union leaders Habibuddin Junaidi and Jai Parkash, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s Asad Butt, Mir Zulfiqar Ali of National Organisation for Working Communities and Ellahi Bukhsh Baloch of the Strengthening Participatory Organisation.
The speakers expressed concern over the situation emerging in Islamabad due to the violent nature of the demonstrations being staged by the two political parties. “We are of the view that this is a deliberate attempt to derail democracy,” said Ali. “It is also an attempt to put real issues on the back-burner. We appreciate the stance taken by PTI leader Javed Hashmi in order to uphold his principles. Everyone should applaud his daring stance.” Ali added that civil society organisations of Sindh will invite Hashmi and will honour him with an award for the courage that he has shown.
Ali said that mid-term elections, if they do take place, will not resolve the issues without electoral reforms. He said that the government had already constituted an electoral reform committee and felt that it needs to focus on the real issues at hand.
“It is our opinion that the real issue today is to create the conditions necessary to guarantee free, fair and transparent elections leading to the emergence of a parliament and other elected bodies that not only represent each and every section of the people of Pakistan, but also fully reflect their hopes and aspirations,” said Ali.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2014.
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