June 16, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 30, 1428

KARACHI, June 15: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, Sindh chapter, will observe a ‘black day’ on June 23 to protest against the government’s failure to arrest the killers of the May 12 victims.

The decision was taken at the ARD meeting, chaired by Sindh PPP chief Syed Qaim Ali Shah, held here on Friday.

It was decided that all component parties of the alliance would stage a demonstration at Regal Chowk in Saddar. The protesters would later march to the Karachi Press Club.

Criticising the government over the arrests of ARD political workers in Punjab and Sindh, the meeting resolved that political workers would in no way succumb to the pressures of the government and would continue their struggle for democracy.

Taking serious note of the reports that “the MQM had issued licences to terrorists and made appointments of loyal SHOs in various police stations”, the ARD termed it part of the conspiracy hatched to push the city into another bloodbath. The alliance demanded deweaponisation and immediate cancellation of licences issued to terrorists.

The meeting also condemned the media trial of PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto and PML-N chief Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif and warned those who were using abusive language against the popular leaders.

A resolution adopted in the meeting expressed concern over the assassination of political workers and demanded arrests of killers.

In another resolution, the meeting termed the power crisis a consequence of KESC’s privatisation. The ARD leaders expressing concern over frequent load-shedding in Karachi called for abrogation of the privatisation agreement and nationalising the power utility to end load-shedding.

Syed Qaim Ali Shah, in a separate statement issued on Friday, condemned the death of Gujrat PPP leader Sarmad Mansoor in Kot Lakhpat Jail.

Terming it a murder, Mr Shah said Sarmad became the victim of third-degree torture during imprisonment when he did not succumb to government’s pressure.