31 July 2004	Saturday	13 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

ISLAMABAD, July 30: ISLAMABAD, July 30: Lawyers and various political parties on Friday held protest demonstration to condemn the killing of two Pakistanis in Iraq by their captors.

In this regard, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) held a protest and asked the government not to send troops to Iraq. Led by the SCBA vice-president, Mohammad Ikram Chaudhry, the representatives of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, Rawalpindi Bench, and district bars of Rawalpindi and Islamabad assembled outside the Supreme Court building to register their protest.

The protesting lawyers, holding black flags and banners, expressed their sympathy with the bereaved family. The rejected the government's compensation of Rs100,000 to each family and demanded to enhance it to Rs5 million each.

They also asked the government to appoint a senior government representative to sympathize with families on behalf of the government and apologize for the policies which allegedly led to the killing of these Pakistanis.

The protesters described the shocking incident of beheading of two Pakistani nationals by their captors as a brutal act against the humanity, and held the government responsible for the killings.

Mohammad Ikram Chaudhry criticized President Pervez Musharraf for allegedly advancing the interest of the US only to perpetuate his rule in the country by trampling all moral and constitutional norms.

"The complete loyalty in serving the US interest has tarnished the image of Pakistan among the Muslim nations, which consider us a US stooge," he added. He said contrary to the Philippines President Gloria Arroyo, who had announced a quick pullback of 53 military personnel from Iraq to save the life of a truck driver, Pakistan government was issuing confusing statements about sending the troops to Iraq.

The SCBA vice-president warned that the people of Pakistan would not accept any decision from the "rubber stamp parliament" if it decided to send troops to Iraq. He alleged that the election campaign of US President Bush was being fought in Pakistan by killing people in Karachi and the Northern Areas.

He reiterated that the lawyers' campaign would continue till the complete revival of 1973 Constitution and democracy. Mr Chaudhry also said Joint Action Committee of the Pakistan Bar Council in its meeting on August 7 in Karachi would chalk out the future line of action in this regard.

PPP: The People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) has held the government responsible for the killing of two Pakistani hostages and asked the rulers to categorically announce that troops will not be sent to Iraq.

Speaking at a press conference here on Friday, PPP president Makhdoom Amin Fahim, secretary-general Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Senator Enver Baig, Sherry Rahman, Farzana Raja and Nazir Dhoki said the lives of the two Pakistanis could have been saved by announcing that troops would not be sent to Baghdad.

Mr Fahim said the government of the Philippines withdrew its forces from Iraq when one of its citizens was kidnapped. He said the government wanted to send the troops after getting approval from the 'rubber-stamp' parliament of the country. He said according to Article 245 of the Constitution, the main duty of the armed forces was to defend the country's frontiers.

The PPP president said the government could impose a ban on the Saudi companies involved in sending Pakistanis to Iraq. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the government had failed to protect the lives of the people of Pakistan living in the country as well as abroad.

He regretted that the government condemned the killings of the Pakistanis in Iraq through a resolution in the National Assembly but it did not give assurance that the troops would not be sent to Baghdad. He said the family members of the murdered Pakistanis were also criticizing the government for not taking any step for the release of hostages.

Benazir Bhutto: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has condemned the murder of two Pakistanis in Iraq. In a statement issued by the party's media centre here on Friday, the PPP chairperson said the murder of two Pakistani civilians in Iraq was a tragic and deplorable act.

MMA: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) observed Friday as a protest day to condemn the beheading of two Pakistani nationals in Iraq. The protest demonstrations were taken out in all the big cities of the country to show their anger at the 'erroneous' foreign policy being pursued by the government.

In Rawalpindi, a protest demonstration was arranged by the local MMA leaders in which more than a hundred people participated.

jklf: Activists of the Students Liberation Front (SLF) staged a protest demonstration here in front of the Rawalpindi Press Club to show indignation over the beheading of two Kashmiris in Iraq. The protest was organized by the students wing of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front.