HYDERABAD, Oct 1: The speakers of a rally held on Tuesday condemned the US designs against Iraq, the excesses against the peasants of state lands in Okara, and violence against women and children.

The rally, sponsored by Applied Social Research Institute Resource Centre (ASR), was attended by 200 workers of the Awami Tehrik, Sindhiani Tehrik, Sindh Taraqqi Passand Party, Nari Adabi Sangat, Sindhi Hari Tehrik and Sindh National Party.

Later, speaking at a news conference, Nighat Saeed Khan, Dr Christopher John and others announced formation of a “Kisan (peasant) Rabita Committee” to fight for the rights of the peasants.

Awami Tehrik and the Communist Party of Pakistan will cooperate in this regard.

Nighat said that the United States had no right to change Iraq’s government.

She said that it was the duty of every conscientious world citizen to condemn the US aggression as the history will judge them for remaining silent over the plight of the Iraqis.

Criticising the US action in Afghanistan, she questioned the appropriateness of destroying Afghanistan on the pretext of extracting vengeance upon Osama bin Laden.

She said that peace still eluded the war-torn Afghanistan despite thrusting upon it a government of its own liking.

She decried the attacks on Christians in Murree, Taxilla, and Karachi, saying that Pakistani government was duty- bound to protect the minorities.

In the meantime, the vice chairman of the Mazareen-e-Punjab, Dr Christopher John, said that the 900,000 peasants tilling state lands in Punjab will boycott the October polls.

Dr Christopher said that the peasants will boycott the polls to protest against what he termed government excesses against the peasants in Okara and elsewhere.

The director of the Applied Social Research Institute (ASRI), Nighat Saeed Khan, also lashed out at the victimisation of peasants in Khanewal, Okara and Pirowal.

Dr Christopher said that 900,000 peasants were cultivating state lands in 10 districts of Punjab.

Director of the ASR Nighat Saeed Khan, vice chairman Anjuman Muzareen Punjab Dr Christopher John, Fezan, Amar Sindhu, Vishnomal, Dodo Mehri, Nazeer Qureshi and others spoke on the occasion.

DOCTORS: The house-job doctors of the Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad and Jamshoro, on Tuesday, boycotted their duties in the medical wards and OPD for two hours, from 12pm to 2pm.