Enjoying patronage: Rights campaigners protest against ‘political victimisation’ of training centre

A PPP leader is allegedly harassing the centre’s director to withdraw an appeal against him in the election tribunal

KARACHI: Members of the Bhittai Social Watch and Advocacy (BSWA) from Khairpur held a press conference on Sunday, alleging that Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dur Muhammad Shah has been harassing their executive director, Khadim Mirani, to withdraw an appeal against him in the election tribunal.

They were flanked by representatives of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Aurat Foundation, NOW Communities, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and Workers Education and Research Organisation at the conference at Karachi Press Club.

According to the speakers, their umbrella organisation, Youth Empowerment Multiple Skill Development Training Centre, was being forced to shut down as part of a political victimisation campaign. The centre’s head, Fozia Hanif, stated that their centre had been operational for 33 years and had provided skill development training to over 6,000 females. She added that currently, around 120 women were receiving training but their operations were facing serious hindrances.



Hanif told the media that Dur, belonging to the ruling PPP, had been harassing the employees and beneficiaries of the centre since February, 2016. She claimed that he enjoyed the patronage of Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah.

According to Hanif, Dur was accused of forcing Mirani to withdraw an appeal against him in the election tribunal. Mirani was the nazim of Saddar Jee Bhattion union council of Khairpur district between 2001 and 2008 and contested the recent local government elections on the ticket of Pakistan Muslim League - Functional. While Shah had won the election for the district council seat, the results have been challenged by Mirani on the basis of rigging and casting fake votes.

At the press conference, Hanif alleged that Dur had forcibly entered the centre’s premises multiple times and threatened them to withdraw the case or face dire consequences. Hanif said that the local police was unwilling to register an FIR against Dur and an inquiry committee set up by the Sukkur DIG had charged Dur with harassment. However, he was acquitted, said Hanif. Mirani further stated that they have challenged the decision in the Sindh High Court, Sukkur.  Hanif told The Express Tribune that ‘politics and social work must be kept separate’. “This feudal mindset is halting the benefits of women and harming them as well,” she said. She added that bogus FIRs had recently been registered against Mirani and other members of the centre.

Consequently, their operations have come to a halt and their resources have also been taken away, she said. She added that even the assistant commissioner of Kingri had once personally come to the centre to threaten them.

Mirani said that contesting elections was his democratic right and no one should be strong-armed against practising it. “Funding has been choked by the Sindh government for 15 of our schools that were about to be opened,” he claimed. “We have raised our voice several times but we continue to suffer.” He stated that letters had been written to the chief justice of the Sindh High Court, Sindh IG and Rangers DG among others to take notice of this political victimisation. He urged the ruling political party to not harm those who were benefitting from the centre just for the sake of political point scoring.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2016.