09 June 2004	Wednesday	20 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

KARACHI, June 8: A token hunger strike was observed on Tuesday to protest against "illegal" arrest of Orangi Town Nazim Shahid Alam alias Guddu Behari and registration of false cases against Liaquatabad Town Nazim Dr Pervez Mehmood.

A large number of women councillors, nazims and naib nazims of Awam Dost, Al Khidmat, and Watan Parast panels staged the protest demonstration at Karachi Press Club. Carrying banners and placards, the protesters shouted slogans against the governor, provincial government, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and its "London-based leader" Altaf Hussain for resorting to illegal and immoral acts to harass the elected representatives.

Demanding immediate release of Guddu Behari and withdrawal of fabricated case against Dr Pervez Mehmood, they vowed to continue their protest against illegal moves of provincial government.

City Council member and a representative of Awam-Dost Panel Najmi Alam said that Guddu Behari was being subjected to illegal and unauthorized arrests for struggling against terrorism.

"Police on the behest of a particular group in provincial government is burdening him with false and fabricated cases, majority of which were declared baseless by courts," he said.

He said that recently Guddu was "abducted" by people in police uniforms immediately after his release from jail. "Shahid Alam was arrested immediately after getting released from jail at 6pm and police registered false and fabricated cases against him at 3am in the next morning," he claimed.

He also condemned registration of murder case against Liaquatabad Town Nazim Dr Pervez Mahmood and said political opponents were being subjected to harassment as part of reprisal acts of the provincial government. According to him, the city council members will stage strong protest in the next city council session.