November 15, 2003	Saturday	Ramazan 19, 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: The PML-N will approach different international human rights organizations and parliamentary bodies to highlight Javed Hashmi’s arrest and the way he has been “subjected to torture and inhuman treatment.”

This was announced by ARD’s acting parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar here on Friday.

He told reporters here at the party’s secretariat that PML-N would write to all the international human rights organizations of the United Nations and Commonwealth, especially the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) to which the government had given a commitment that true democracy had returned, and that the rights of every parliamentarian would be respected, including his right to speak.

“Mr Hashmi was kept in isolation, he was tortured and even attempts were made to get favourable statements on gunpoint,” he alleged.

Chaudhry Nisar, who told reporters that his statement would be “short and sweet”, touched upon two issues only: the treatment meted out to Javed Hashmi and the recent visit of Information Minister Sheikh Rashid to India, which, according to him, was a total failure, and that the country’s dignity and honour were compromised.

“The moment the family members, party colleagues and his counsel are able to meet Mr Hashmi and the court decides about his bail, the party will start approaching the international bodies,” Chaudhry Nisar said.

He was bitter over the way Mr Hashmi was produced before the courts to get his remand during off-court hours and his family members were not allowed to meet him, “which was unprecedented and never done during the periods of Bhutto, Zia, Benazir or Nawaz Sharif.

“Even the hardened criminals are tried in open courts,” he observed. He also expressed doubts that Mr Hashmi was in Adiala jail, and alleged that he might still be in the custody of some agencies.

Practically there was no change in the governance as earlier the state affairs were being run under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) in a dictatorial manner and now under the Legal Framework Order (LFO). Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali was just a civil facade, who enjoys no domain over any state matter, be it foreign policy or domestic affairs.

“The prime minister has only overtaken the job of the chief whip to ensure MPs presence in the National Assembly,” he observed.

He said his party will also move courts in this regard but the judiciary right from the Supreme Court to the subordinate level were functioning under the PCO and not under the 1973 Constitution.

About Sheikh Rashid’s visit to India, he alleged that through his “immature representation” the minister had in fact earned disrespect for the country.

“He created so much media hype before leaving to attend the Saarc ministerial meeting that he had an important message of Zafarullah Jamali for Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, but Mr Vajpayee denied that except for a handshake nothing important happened,” he said.

“Foreign policy is a very sensitive and delicate matter where two countries, standing on a razor edge, manoeuvre to get other’s space, but here Mr Rashid has conceded his space,” he alleged.

“Why you are imposing yourself on them, when they are not ready to welcome you,” Mr Nisar questioned, while recalling the earlier “embarrassment” created by the foreign minister when he had announced to go to India without being formally invited.