KARACHIl: The use of police force to disperse protesters during Sunday’s gathering outside the Karachi Press Club has been condemned by several Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) politicians, including senior leader Senator Sherry Rehman, who apologised for the violence on behalf of the party.
"We are a democratic party and rights of citizens have to be protected and respected even if they were in violation of todays [Section] 144. I have spoken on the phone from Islamabad to many who were mistreated, and apologised, and appreciate their understanding," she wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, the younger sister of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has also condemned the brutal and arbitrary police action against the participants of the Rawadari March from the civil society organisations in the vicinity of the press club.
“We all condemn and we are all disgusted and ashamed of the violent treatment against peaceful protestors. The home minister has ensured a probe (into the police action) and action will be taken against all those involved in such unprovoked, inexcusable, and unjustifiable brutality.”
HRCP’s demands
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has demanded that the Sindh Rawadari March be allowed to continue assembly at the Karachi Press Club.
In a tweet on X, the HRCP said that it is greatly concerned to learn that at least 37 protesters (including women) associated with the Sindh Rawadari March have been arrested by the Karachi police while attempting to hold a peaceful assembly to demand justice for the murder of Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar. It said police have also attempted to arrest HRCP chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt and warned him not to speak to the press. “We fear further arrests through the day,” they said.
The HRCP said the Sindh Rawadari March includes progressive voices from across the province of Sindh, including human rights defenders, trade unions and feminist movements, whose right to protest is protected by the constitution. Those arrested must be released unconditionally, and the Sindh Rawadari March must be allowed to continue its assembly at the Karachi Press Club unhindered.
SHRC takes cognisance
The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has taken a suo motu notice of the brutal and arbitrary police action against the participants of a peaceful rally held by civil society organisations near Karachi Press Club on Sunday.
The SHRC under the Sindh Protection of Human Rights Act-2011 is authorised to take cognisance of the instances of human rights violations in the province. “A peaceful assembly of civil society protestors outside the Karachi Press Club on 13th October, 2024 was met with violent assaults and arrests by the police. The protestors were reportedly gathered to demand justice for the extra-judicial killing of Dr. Shahnawaz Kumbhar,” said the suo motu notice sent by the SHRC to the DIG South.
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