Jibran Nasir among civil society activists released by the Frere Town Police Station on Thursday evening. PHOTO: NOMAN AHMED
KARACHI: Hours after civil society activist Jibran Nasir among 22 activists had been taken into custody from near CM House in Karachi for violating the Red Zone, police released them.
We have come out. Govt has refused to follow due process of law & has proved that it can't take action against ASWJ. All respect to citizens
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) February 5, 2015
Following his release, Nasir, addressed protesters gathered outside the station. Before he left, however, he restated his 15-day ultimatum to authorities wherein he called on the government to take action against banned organisations, including the Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ).
After his departure, protesters gathered at the station started to disperse.
Earlier, police had said that once family members of activists, detained for violating the Red Zone, filed an undertaking they would be released. Following that announcement, parents and relatives of several activists reached Frere Town Police Station, where most of the activists were being held.
Nasir, along with fellow protesters Khurram Zia and Shahryar Naqvi, who were leading the protest, have denied violating the red zone.
Not a single finger was raised on any Police Official. We volunteered to be arrest when told we broke the law. Why doesnt law apply on ASWJ
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) February 5, 2015
Of the activists taken into custody, four were being held at the Defence Police Station, and two at the Women's Police Station on Shahrahe Faisal.
While Nasir and other activists were being held inside, up to 200 civil society members and activists gathered outside the Frere Town police station where they chanted slogans in favour of the activists and demanded their release. "We are ready to stand in front of the barrier until our comrades come out," said one of the protesters.
Protesters outside Frere Town police station. PHOTO: MUNIRA ABBAS/EXPRESS
Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul Muslimeen's Sadiq Taqvi also joined the protesters outside the Frere Town police station. He clarified that he had come to show support as a Pakistani and not because he was a member of a religious group. "We are against terrorsits."
As the protest continued outside Frere Town police station, Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat have announced protests throughout Sindh on Friday to show solidarity with Aurangzaib Farooqui.
Earlier on Thursday, Jibran Nasir and members of the civil society were arrested earlier in the day after resuming the Shikarpur sit-in outside the CM house in Karachi, pressing the government to take swift action against Ahl-e-Sunnat-wal Jamaat’s (ASWJ) solidarity rally on Kashmir Day.
We have been arrested
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) February 5, 2015
Earlier in the day, the ASWJ has also started a sit-in outside the CM House, in continuum of their rally from earlier today.
Citizens have started the Dharna near CM House from Karachi Club Side as ASWJ at PIDC #ShikarpurBlastSitin
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) February 5, 2015
At the Kashmir Day rally, ASWJ allegedly threatened members of the civil society as well as the Sindh government for unnecessarily terming them a banned organisation.
The civil society’s 31-hour-long protest outside the CM house, from earlier this week, came to an end Tuesday night, after Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Culture Sharmila Farooqi promised that the provincial government will take stern action against “banned” militant organisations, including ASWJ.
[/fbvideo]
No official notification, however, has been taken out by the home department to outlaw ASWJ.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, “The charter of demands we came with initially has failed. But this time, we won’t stop. We will continue our sit-in till justice is served,” Nasir said.
“We’ll do a hunger strike if we have to. Allowing ASWJ, or any other outfit that incites violence, to carry out political activities openly, is a violation of the law,” he added.
Dear CM & IG Sindh this is your effectiveness. This is today in Lasbela Karachi. #ASWJ is banned. Are u fit to rule? pic.twitter.com/kkRY0jmzvw
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) February 5, 2015
Meanwhile, in Lahore, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a proscribed militant outfit took out a solidarity rally with Kashmir. The organisation’s leader, Hafiz Saeed, addressed the crowd present.
Jamaat-ud-Dawa was added to the list of banned organisations by the interior ministry.
https://twitter.com/shumail_z/status/563353098815410176
http://instagram.com/p/yuZFLSHF-y/
https://twitter.com/Muzammalafzal/status/563362796855762944
COMMENTS (33)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
None of them really cares about helping or resolving the issues of the victim families. These activists are just together for their own photo session. Nothing more than a publicity stunt.
@raheel: How can I send you the evidence. I have all you could need to file a case against them. Let me know and I shall provide it to you. And good luck with your suggestion that the existing corrupt government will do something about it. Not talking about the military courts. Perhaps someone will take this direction, after all the option only recently became available.
Though I agree with the point that we need avoid division, but I sure am not in favor of uniting with anyone who has his hands tainted in blood of the innocent.
@Abdul Jabbar Mohmand: Lets see you do better.
Shame on ASWJ and the political parties which support them. Jibran Nasir does not represent any sect or class— if any of you had been to his rallies you would have noticed that. Unfortunately, we are so submerged with injustice that even when someone has a positive message we bring him down.
I challenge the naysayers to look at the message and tell me if there is something wrong with what he is saying?
Sorry to burst everyone's bubble but Mr Nasir is just politicking like politicians do. He's only recently burst onto the scene in Karachi, Pakistan and has found that championing "liberal" causes earns media attention. This most recent action, though laudable, is nothing more than an individual cranking up the stakes for the next stage of his career. The next local elections are quite some time away and this young lawyer/politician needs work and business in the meantime so that he has a higher profile for the next elections. Unfortunately, I feel that this action of his will likely cut his career short. Also...YES...he is not the first, nor will he be the last. He is the one with the limelight at the moment...that is all. We do need a lot more people who're willing to speak the truth, thats is for sure. However, it would be great if we can produce individuals who, rather than act through publicity stunts, can provide more substantial change and create genuine understanding. Bringing people together rather than pretending to be a superman standing up against evil forces...that is what will bring positive change. Good vs evil is not the type of narrative that will make that happen. Despite how horrendous the crimes they have committed, we must strive to understand what is going on with these people, how we can resolve the outstanding complaints of the tribal areas while striving to ensure that we implement the rule of law absolutely without fear or favor.
This is the reality of courage of the Army and civilian government. They claim that they are brave fighting the terrorists and boast of Zarb-e-Azb. Every day army claims to have killed so many terrorists, sometimes 10 sometimes 70 and sometimes 100. Yet, neither the army nor the political parties have courage to arrest Lal Masjid cleric who is challenging Pakistan's army and civilian government, sitting right within Islamabad. Pakistan's army can only bomb FATA and Waziristan from its aircrafts but does not have the courage to send it army on the ground. This is the reason Zarb-e-Azb is continuing for so many months. Just 2-3 years ago Pakistan's army and some political parties like PTI was saying that there are just about 200-300 terrorists in FATA and Waziristan and today, even after claiming to have killed so many terrorists, army has not been able to make FATA or Waziristan safe. Pakistan's army is coward and can never wipe out terrorists of any kind, those targeting Afghanistan and Pakistan or sectarian forces. Raheel Sharif may want to wipe out terrorists but he does not have a brave army and leaders of political parties who have courage to back him up.
They are extremists themselves, thinking of himself above the law.
And the only person who took action against the likes of ASWJ in Lal Masjid - look what we have done to him? Cry with blood tears Pakistan!
@SHN: Where is the Cricketer? Anybody see him? Where is MQM? Anybody see the MQM thugs.? These MQM walas should come out in support. It's their city. So they claim.
@Sehr Siddiqui: Do you even know what you are saying? IK never made any hate speeches against the "state". I fail to understand why this nation always invokes others to create the divides. Can Jibran Nasir go to Waziristan and bring with him thousand others to protest for drone victims? Militancy is a pressing issue for this country right now. And every sensible Pakistani would support anyone who is vying to suppress them.
Jibran Nasir....on a fast track to becoming a future Prime minister.
This is the face of our government....they arrest the innocent....and mollycoddle criminals.
this man jibran is doing nothing but just dividing people,creating hate between shia and suunis
if he is really interested to eliminated terrorism so he must work to root causes.gathering of
50 or 60 people against some one can not make him hero.
Glad to hear that Jibran Nasir and members of the civil society are out from the Frere Police Station on the intervention of Governor of Sindh.
Police can only arrest the law abide citizens and not the terrorists, as Police is scared of arresting terrorists due to suicide bombings, bomb blasts, fires from 9mm pistols, after all Policemen are also human beings and have all the right to save their lives as well as lives of the Sindh Assembly Members.
@Citizen:
If you have proof for their involvement in target killing then provide it to govt and military courts and they will punish them and wipe them all if found guilty but this is not the right way to devide the people right way is to punish the culprits we need union not division brother
Which sort of civil society is this which is deviding peoples instead of uniting them I think it is not civil society it is something else rather something fishy
@neelam: and sectarian killers should be fully allowed to hold public rallies, and participate in politics, right?
Hope civil society will support Jibran Nasir. Sensing the scenario of current pathetic and inept state of Pakistanis though this wish is like living in fools paradise.
We know the corruption and decadence of those in power, They have no stake in Pakistan. They descend on us to loot. What have we as citizens done for the country. We could not support Jibran Nasir in Islamabad or in Karachi. We will not come out on the streets to demand his release. We do not deserve Jibran Nasir. We get Nawaz and Zardari because we deserve them.
It is not civil society it is totally sectarian act to target people from particular sect such peoples in mask of civil society should be arrested and delt with iron hands
Jibran Nasir is not the hero this country wants, but the hero it needs.
Can the Interior Ministry (not the Foreign Office) tell the people of Pakistan whether ASWJ and JuD are banned or not? The reason I ask is Hafiz Saeed was on every channel yesterday on Kashmir Solidarity Day, and spelling out what the foreign policy of the country should be with regards to India. And then this ASWJ rally in Karachi. Looks like nothing has changed.
This country and specially Sindh are run by multifaceted cruel and wicked rulers who lack moral courage and with no reason to stay in power. They have different laws for different people. Arrest warrants for Imran Khan were in the field but he was free to solemnize marriage, keep freely moving in and out of Pakistan. He disrupted the entire country for more than 120 days. He made hate speeches against the state yet he was not arrested. Here is a person Jibran Nasir, who protested against the barbaric killing in Shikarpur and he was arrested. Wonderful Governance both at Center and Province. WE are disappointed with Nawaz and Zardari as they have failed to do justice.
So PPP favors a banned organization. The fake liberal face of PPP badly exposed here.
Selfies taken; tweets tweeted; newspapers sold Another day in life of Jibran Nasir
For the last few days CM House is cordoned off by the Police and the containers.
The CM House needs all the protection but people who pay taxes through which CM Sindh and other CM House employees get salaries do not need protection by the Police.
Civil Society any where in Pakistan is considered an enemy of the goverment.
Thanks God Jibran Nasir and other civil society people are arrested. They are not killed in fake encounter of the Police, otherwise they have been declared as dacoits or cell phones snatchers by the Police.
sit in is itself a nightmare for these good for nothing political lot, they are afraid of word sit in so jibran nasir don’t be worry change with just protest instead
Where is the Riasat? Where is Federal government, Sindh government;busy arresting Jibran Nasir while banned outfit JUD leads rally.
Jibran Nasir is one brave, and selfless man. I hope more Pakistanis step in and support him, notice all those political entities who've been Anti-ASWJ are now quite and no where to be seen. Because political entities are all TALK, Jibran Nasir has shown ACTION along with his words. God bless him. Praying for the safety of him, and the other brave protesters. Wish I was in Pakistan myself to support them.
And that is why leaders like musharraf were always better.....