June 28, 2003	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 27,1424

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ISLAMABAD, June 27: A delegation of Anjuman Mazarain Punjab, (AMP) and People’s Rights Movement (PRM) activists on Friday sought immediate intervention of the United Nations in the ongoing conflict between the tenants on state lands and the government on the basis of UN Covenants that protect basic human rights.

In a formal request to the United Nations, the AMP said state repression on Okara military farms had left more than 150,000 residents of the area isolated from the rest of the World.

AMP Chairman Liaquat Ali, President Khushi Dola, General Secretary Shagufta Zafar and PRM representatives Bashir Buter and Aasim Sajad were part of the delegation. They presented the request to the local UN representatives.

According to a press release, it was asserted that lack of food and medicines in the area was causing a great deal of hardship to the tenants, and that the situation was worsening day by day.

It was also pointed out that the government continued to issue official statements that misrepresented the situation. It was further pointed out that the tenants movement was not isolated to Okara and that tenants on state farms in other districts of Punjab such as Lahore, Sargodha, Sahiwal and Khanewal were also facing pressure from the government to accede to the disputed contract system and forego tenancy status that prevailed for almost a century.