Out on the streets: Civil society, labourers stage protest
‘We reject draconian laws of the country, says NTUF general secretary
CPAP members protest against the attack on Shah Noorani shrine on Saturday. PHOTO: MOHAMMAD NOMAN/EXPRESS
KARACHI:
We reject the draconian laws which allow peaceful political workers to be detained without proof and be wrongfully indicted in cases of terrorism, said National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) general secretary Nasir Mansoor.
If any citizen is involved in any crime, he should be presented before the court for a fair trial, he said.
Mansoor was speaking to The Express Tribune during a protest demonstration, jointly organised by Inqalabi Adarsh Forum (IAF) and NTUF, outside Karachi Press Club on Sunday. The demonstration was led by IAF Karachi leader Mushtaq Ali Shan and NTUF, Sindh, president Gul Rehman.
Even though dictatorship had ended in the country but still dictatorial laws and exercise of force are being employed to suppress the voice of the people, said Rehman. The current government claimed that no political prisoners were held in their tenure but the reality is far from it, he added. The protesters, including labour union representatives and a large number of students, social activists, held placards and banners demanding the immediate release and recovery of Momin Khan Momin and Wahid Baloch. They also raised their voice against the unjust jail sentence of Comrade Baba Jan. As many as 12 activists, including Baba Jan, were put behind bars for demanding fair compensation for the people who were displaced due to the formation of Attabad Lake in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), said Rehman.
The activists were denied fair trial and were sentenced to a collective 37 years in jail by an anti-terrorism court, he informed. Baba Jan's only crime seems that he dared to contest election against the G-B governor's son in the recent elections, said the protesters.
United against terrorism
Meanwhile, Civil Progressive Alliance Pakistan (CPAP) staged a demonstration outside Karachi Press Club condemning the blast on the shrine of Shah Noorani.
The protest was held to raise voice against the killings of Sunnis who follow Sufism, said CPAP co-founder Asad Zaidi. We demand end of terrorism and targeted killing of people belonging to different faiths, he added.
The protest included people from civil society, students and Jafaria Disaster Cell general secretary Zafar Abbas.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2016.
We reject the draconian laws which allow peaceful political workers to be detained without proof and be wrongfully indicted in cases of terrorism, said National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) general secretary Nasir Mansoor.
If any citizen is involved in any crime, he should be presented before the court for a fair trial, he said.
Mansoor was speaking to The Express Tribune during a protest demonstration, jointly organised by Inqalabi Adarsh Forum (IAF) and NTUF, outside Karachi Press Club on Sunday. The demonstration was led by IAF Karachi leader Mushtaq Ali Shan and NTUF, Sindh, president Gul Rehman.
Even though dictatorship had ended in the country but still dictatorial laws and exercise of force are being employed to suppress the voice of the people, said Rehman. The current government claimed that no political prisoners were held in their tenure but the reality is far from it, he added. The protesters, including labour union representatives and a large number of students, social activists, held placards and banners demanding the immediate release and recovery of Momin Khan Momin and Wahid Baloch. They also raised their voice against the unjust jail sentence of Comrade Baba Jan. As many as 12 activists, including Baba Jan, were put behind bars for demanding fair compensation for the people who were displaced due to the formation of Attabad Lake in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), said Rehman.
NTUF members take to the streets demanding recovery of Momin Khan Momin and Wahid Baloch and raised slogans against unjust jail sentence of Comrade Baba Jan. PHOTO: PPI
The activists were denied fair trial and were sentenced to a collective 37 years in jail by an anti-terrorism court, he informed. Baba Jan's only crime seems that he dared to contest election against the G-B governor's son in the recent elections, said the protesters.
United against terrorism
Meanwhile, Civil Progressive Alliance Pakistan (CPAP) staged a demonstration outside Karachi Press Club condemning the blast on the shrine of Shah Noorani.
The protest was held to raise voice against the killings of Sunnis who follow Sufism, said CPAP co-founder Asad Zaidi. We demand end of terrorism and targeted killing of people belonging to different faiths, he added.
The protest included people from civil society, students and Jafaria Disaster Cell general secretary Zafar Abbas.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2016.