The Pakistani Spectator

Washington, DC. In a meeting at Amnesty International, under the supervision of Kumar, director of Asia Human Rights, he strategize about what should be done concerning the violation of human rights and getting the UNO involved in the investigation of Benazir Bhutto’s murder.

Kumar also gave the ideas about maximizing the outcome of the opposition leaders’ trip to Washington within the next couple of weeks, establishing a student action committee in the States, and linking them  with the same committees in Pakistan, establishing various chapters for the restoration of the Pakistani judiciary, agenda for free and fair election in Pakistan, lifting the restrictions on media, developing a more efficient civil society to oppose Musharraf, and having better communications with the U.S. Congress towards this goal.

Ghazia Aslam, a student of George Mason University, and Umar Shoket, of University of Virginia, gave their ideas about incorporating their efforts of getting rid of Musharraf and bringing civilian democracy in Pakistan with cultivating good relationship with the U.S.  Media and establishing good P.R. with U.S. lobbying firms interested in the politics of South Asia.

These students also talked about organizing a People’s Resistance Movement.  According to these students, this kind of PRM could be led by students themselves.  Aslam pointed out that many students had gone on hunger strike and eight of them had been arrested.

Dr. Fauzia Tareen of the World Sindhi Institute informed the audience that most human rights violations transpired in Sindhi and Baluchistan. She suggested the Pakistani-American community must call an emergency meeting of Washington intellectual and policy makers who are involved with South Asia.

Asaf Shah, a Pakistani-American attorney, said he had helped to prepare a petition signed by 360 lawyers that was sent to Secretary of State, Condi Rice, and well-known newspapers such as the Washington Post.

Also, Andrea Vesa, from the American Bar Association, said that they weren’t taking any political stand in Pakistani Internal Politics.  However, in standing up for Pakistani lawyers, her organization helped arrange 1200 signatures on a petition in support of Pakistani lawyer and marched in their support.

According to Vesa, ABA is regularly monitoring the Pakistani situation and educating its own members on the political outcomes.  She also informed us that the Pakistani government has suspended the licenses of many Pakistani lawyers after they were released from detention.

She also mentioned U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ginsberg’s comments.  Justice Ginsberg said she is proud of Pakistani Lawyers who are establishing a great example of protection of human rights by sacrificing so much.  Vesa also informed the audience that the EBA (English Bar Association) was sending a delegation to Pakistan to help the Pakistani judiciary.

Monawar Lughari of the World Sindhi Institute said his organization had issued a petition against the Musharraf’s regime’s brutalities against the oppressed people of Sindhi and Baluchistan.  Mr. Lughari said that he could manage some people to go on hunger strike front of the White House to pressure the Bush administration to heed Pakistani people rather than Musharraf.

Frank Smyth, Washington Representative of Committee to Protect Journalists, is monitoring the Musharraf’s regime’s restrictions on the Pakistani media.  Smyth said his organization is in the process of taking some action to expose the Musharraf’s regime’s threat to the independent media.

At this point, Syed Adeeb, a Pakistani-American journalist stationed in Fairfax, Virginia, educated the audience about the unfair law against media, called Pamra.  According to Adeeb, many Pakistani journalists have been put in jails because they violated so-called Pamra and they exposed Pakistani government’s involvement in various explosions among civilian where so many innocent lives were lost.

Mr.  Khalid Hassin, a very well-known Pakistani-American journalist and press secretary for former Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, informed his audience that many Pakistanis believe that Pakistani agencies like ISI and IB (Intelligence Bureau,) are involved in these terrorist attacks.  Mr. Hassin also said that Musharraf has given special instructions to the Pakistani ambassador in the States, General Durrani, to control out-of-control Pakistani-American media.

Having listened so many concerns of these Pakistani-Americans, Kumar intervened and said we need to end the session by making some final observations considering our limitations. By elaborating on the limitations, he said that he had spoken with some Department of States’ Human Rights Bureau officials about the human rights violations of the Musharraf regime.

He also informed the audience that the people like Secretary Boucher—who is involved with policy work — does not want to take a stand for the restoration of the Pakistani judiciary because his department sees the situation in Pakistan through the lenses of War on Terror. He stated that the U.S. Congress is one of the best hopes of pro-democracy Pakistani-Americans.

He also said that Rep. Shiela Lee Jackson does not seem to come very strong against Musharraf regime, but Pakistani-American should get the help of Pakistan-American state representative named Amjad Khan who has been elected for State Assembly in Texas.

According to Kumar, if Mr. Khan could convince Rep. Lee Jackson to support democrat forces in Pakistan then Rep. Burton would go along with her.

Mr. Kumar also instructed the community members to arrange a couple of Member of Congress who can sit for a couple of hours in the Human Rights Caucus meeting being managed by AI where some folks from the Department of State would drop by.  He said that he could guarantee for another Rights Caucus meeting on the Hill but he can’t say if he brings Secretary Boucher to attend the meeting.

About his efforts Mr. Kumar said that he would consider arranging some well known newspapers editorial board meetings to listen Pakistani-American community. He also informed that AI is arranging some demonstrations against Musharraf when he is in Europe.

Journalist Adeeb told the listeners that the Pakistani-Americans could also seek the help of Republicans legislators in Washington and they should also try to get involved some important institutions like Churches because Christianity gives a big emphasis on the rights of poor and oppressed people and currently most Pakistanis are poor and oppressed, unfortunately.

Mr. Ayaz of Tehreeke- Insaf of Pakistan said that the community’s efforts are not very fruitful because some conscienceless Pakistanis like Dr. Nasim Ashraf and Kashmala are willing to be mouthpiece of Musharraf.

At the end of the meeting, on emphasizing on the importance of community involvement, Mr. Kumar said his organization could do fifty percent of the job only if Pakistani-American does 50% of its job first.

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