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| October 07, 2007 | Sunday | Ramazan 24, 1428 |
APDM strike call draws mixed response in Sindh
Dawn Report
HYDERABAD, Oct 6: The strike call given by the All-Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) in protest against the re-election of Gen Pervez Musharraf as president of the country drew mixed response from people across the province on Saturday as the opposition parties and lawyers stage rallies and demonstrations.Jacobabad and Qasimabad taluka were the only towns, which observed complete strike against Musharraf’s re-election, with all the markets closed and almost no traffic on roads.
People almost completely ignored the strike call in Sanghar, Shikarpur, Nawabshah, Khairpur, Mirpurkhas districts and their adjoining towns while Badin observed partial strike.
In Hyderabad, there was no sign of strike in the city and Latifabad talukas while shops remained closed in Qasimabad taluka and Pukhtun majority areas of the city.
A group of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz activists staged a march, which started from the district council building and terminated at press club raising slogans against Gen Musharraf’s re-election. The leaders said that the day was the blackest day in the history of Pakistan.
The Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party Chairman Dr Qadir Magsi said in a statement that Sindhis had always fought against army dictatorship and marshal laws with valour and rendered tremendous sacrifices for democracy.
He said that despite government ban on processions and threats people of Sindh including business community had positively responded to the APDM strike call and the successful strike had defeated the unconstitutional and undemocratic rule of the general.
Lawyers in Hyderabad boycotted courts on the call of Pakistan Bar Council in protest against the presidential elections. They held a demonstration in the premises of civil courts.
Bar leaders termed the general’s re-election as a farce and demanded that 1973 Constitution should be restored, the election commission should resign and an interim government should be appointed to hold fair and transparent elections.
The call for strike drew no response in Nawabshah with all the main markets and trading centres open and traffic on the roads. The APDM activists, though, staged a rally and a demonstration outside the local press club and termed the presidential elections as unconstitutional.
Lawyers boycotted court proceedings and staged a rally carrying placards and national flags and raising slogans against Gen Musharraf.
They burnt tyres on the road and also staged a sit-in. Nawabshah DBA office-bearers termed the re-election of president unconstitutional and unacceptable to legal fraternity.
In Shikarpur, activists of Muttahida Majilis-i-Amal staged a demonstration at the Rustam Chowk road while all the main bazaars and trade and business centres in the town remained open.
APDM leaders termed the re-election an act against the constitutional, legal, moral and democratic provisions of the Constitution. Lawyers in the town did not take part in the protest.
In Naushahro Feroze, activists of PML-N staged a rally and a demonstration while lawyers in Naushahro Feroze, Moro, Bhirya and Kandiaro boycotted court proceedings and termed the general’s re-election illegal.
In Jacobabad, complete shutter-down strike was observed and all the business and trade centres remained closed. The strike call did not receive any response from people in Mirpurkhas, as all the markets, bazaars and shopping centres remained open and traffic was normal on the roads.
In Kot Ghulam Mohammad Awami Tehrik staged a rally while in Khairpur, activists of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) and PML-N staged separate processions.
The JUI and PML-N leaders rejected the Reconciliation Ordinance, which they said ran counter to people’s wishes. The presidential elections would prolong dictatorship in the country, they feared. Lawyers in Khairpur boycotted court proceedings.
Partial strike was observed in Badin, Talhar and Golarchi, while it drew no response from people in Tando Bago, Matli, Kario Ghanwar and other small towns.
In Dadu, about 50 APDM activists staged a demonstration against the re-election of Gen Musharraf as president in uniform while lawyers observed black day after boycotting court proceedings in Dadu, Mehar, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Sehwan and Johi.
In Sanghar, lawyers observed black day by wearing black armbands and hoisting black flags on the rooftops of bar offices. The president of Sanghar DBA said that the day was the blackest in the history of Pakistan.
Partial strike was observed in Larkana.
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