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| October 31, 2007 | Wednesday | Shawwal 18, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Iraq urges Iran to help defuse crisis with Turkey BAGHDAD, Oct 31, (AFP) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday urged Tehran to help defuse the crisis with Turkey over Kurdish rebels and called for Iran's support at a conference on Iraq this week. (Posted @ 23:48 PST)
Saudi king to pay first visit to Vatican ROME, Oct 31 (AFP): King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia will visit the Vatican next week, the pope's press office announced on Wednesday. Abdullah, currently on a state visit to Britain, will have an audience with Pope Benedict XVI on November 6. It will be the first time a Saudi king has visited the Vatican and the two states do not have diplomatic relations. Abdullah will meet Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi later that day, the chair of the cabinet announced. (Posted @ 20:52 PST)
Poland's Tusk suggests he wants to end Iraqi mission in 2008 WARSAW, Oct 31 (AP): Poland's prime minister-designate, Donald Tusk, suggested in remarks published Wednesday that his government would seek to end the nation's four-year military mission in Iraq next year. “We want to finish the mission in this form in 2008,” Tusk was quoted by the Polska daily as saying. He did not elaborate. (Posted @ 20:26 PST)
US providing Turkey with intelligence on rebel positions: Pentagon WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (AFP): The United Sates is providing Turkey with intelligence on Kurdish rebel positions along the border with Iraq, a Pentagon spokesman said Wednesday. (Posted @ 20:24 PST)
US image chief quits WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (AFP): Karen Hughes, the US State Department's top imagemaker and a longtime confidante of US President George W. Bush, is quitting her post, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday. “I announce on behalf of the department and on behalf of the president that Karen Huges is, by the end of the year, sometime in mid-December, going to step down from her role as under secretary and return to Texas,” Rice told a press conference. (Posted @ 20:20 PST)
Fighting resumes in Swat PESHAWAR, Oct 31 (AFP): Pakistan military helicopter gunships strafed militant positions in Swat Valley on Wednesday as a shaky truce collapsed, police and residents said. The supporters of Maulana Fazalullah launched several attacks overnight and fired at an army chopper hovering over the town of Matta on Wednesday, prompting the gunship to attack three rebel positions, a police officer said. The militants torched a police checkpost in the valley and detonated a remote-controlled bomb near a police station in district headquarters Saidu Sharif late Tuesday, he said. They also seized a police vehicle and another belonging to the health ministry. (First Posted @ 17:36 PST Updated @ 19:04 PST)
Major fire at London oil refinery LONDON, Oct 31 (AP): A major fire broke out Wednesday at an oil refinery east of London but no injuries were reported immediately, fire officials said. The fire was reported at midday at the refinery at Coryton (40 kilometers) east of central London. The Essex county Fire Service said 17 fire engines were battling flames reportedly rising to 30 meters. (Posted @ 18:52 PST)
India turns heat on Gujarat chief after riot TV sting NEW DELHI, Oct 31 (AFP): Top Indian ministers on Wednesday launched a drive for the arrest of Gujarat's state leader on murder charges after a TV sting linked his supporters to the bloody 2002 riots. The anti-Modi campaign gained momentum a day after a provincial court sentenced eight people to life in jail for the killings of seven Muslims during the riots which left 2,000 people, mostly Muslims, dead in the western state. (Posted @ 18:24 PST)
21 convicted over Madrid bombings, alleged mastermind acquitted MADRID, Oct 31 (AFP): A Spanish court Wednesday convicted 21 people of involvement in the 2004 Madrid train bombings, but acquitted a man accused of helping mastermind the Al Qaeda-inspired attack that claimed nearly 200 lives. The chief judge of the special anti-terrorist court, Javier Gomez Bermudez, pronounced two Moroccans and a Spaniard guilty of murdering the 191 people killed in the blasts. They were sentenced to around 40,000 years in prison each, although under Spanish law the maximum they can spend behind bars is 40 years. (Posted @ 18:10 PST)
Gunmen killed as Koreans repel attack off Somalia NAIROBI, Oct 31(Reuters): Two gunmen died and three crew members were badly wounded in gun battles as North Korean seafarers fought off attackers who raided their cargo ship off Somalia, a maritime official said on Wednesday. “Six gunmen were seriously injured in Tuesday's heavy fighting,” said the head of the Mombasa-based East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme. A U.S. Navy destroyer arrived on the scene later and took on board the wounded. Five gunmen were also captured, it said, and were being held in custody on the cargo ship. (Posted @ 17:52 PST)
Russia sharply reduces election observers number MOSCOW, Oct 31 (AFP): Russia on Wednesday invited a sharply reduced number of foreign election observers to December parliamentary elections, including just 70 from the main European watchdog, the OSCE. “We sent invitations for about 300-400 international observers, notably 70 members from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR),” a member of the Central Elections Commission (CEC) told AFP. (Posted @ 17:46 PST)
Supreme Court to probe Oct 18 blast ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (AFP): The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said Wednesday he would probe a suicide attack on former premier Benazir Bhutto's convoy on October 18 in Karachi. He announced the Supreme Court would hold its own inquiry into the blasts, as well as hear a petition filed by her party, a court statement said. He expressed impatience at the slow pace of police investigations. The case will be heard again on Thursday. (Posted @ 17:44 PST)
Fighting resumes with gunships, artillery in Swat MINGORA, Oct 31 (Reuters): Militants in Swat fired at helicopter gunships flying over their stronghold on Wednesday, as violence resumed after a brief truce officials said. In separate incidents overnight, pro-Taliban militants fired rockets at a police station in the Swat valley, while four civilians were killed in crossfire in an area further north, witnesses said. The militants led by pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah, told residents in Matta village -- their stronghold -- to leave their homes, raising fears fighting could intensify. “Militants violated the ceasefire and our forces retaliated,” said a senior paramilitary official who asked not be named. (Posted @ 17:36 PST)
Afghans, NATO kill 50 Taliban ARGHANDAB, Oct 31 (Reuters): Afghan and NATO-led troops have killed some 50 Taliban fighters surrounded in a district close to the main southern city of Kandahar, the provincial police chief said on Wednesday. Taliban fighters moved into Arghandab district, only 12 km from Kandahar, last week after a pro-government tribal leader who held the area died of a heart attack. Afghan army and troops from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) launched an operation and 50 Taliban were killed in the fighting on Monday and Tuesday. At least another 25 have been wounded, said the Kandahar police chief. (Posted @ 17:32 PST)
Strike over land row shuts down east Indian state KOLKATA, Oct 31 (AP): Dozens of people were injured in clashes with police and buses were set on fire in West Bengal on Wednesday during a strike called to protest against the killing of villagers opposed to industry. The strike shut schools, offices and businesses across the communist-ruled state. (Posted @ 17:00 PST)
Naval officer killed, four injured in militant attack in Nigeria LAGOS, Oct 31 (AFP): A naval officer was killed and four other naval personnel injured in an overnight attack on a vessel protecting a Shell oilfield off southern Nigeria, industry and security sources said Wednesday. The State Security Service (SSS) also confirmed the attack. (Posted @ 16:50 PST)
Boy with matches started California fire: police LOS ANGELES, Oct 31 (AFP): A young boy playing with matches has confessed to starting one of the deadly fires that recently devastated southern California, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. The Buckweed fire in northern Los Angeles County, which began in the early afternoon of Sunday, October 21, was first blamed on downed power lines, but the investigation later turned into one of suspected arson. (Posted @ 16:45 PST)
Sri Lanka imposes censorship on war reporting COLOMBO, Oct 31 (AFP): Sri Lanka imposed censorship on war reporting a week after Tamil Tiger rebels carried out a devastating attack on the country's air force, a government notice said Wednesday. (Posted @ 16:20 PST)
Iran says open to more talks with US on Iraq security BAGHDAD, Oct 31 (Reuters) Iran is willing to hold further talks with the United States on improving security in Iraq, Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, said Wednesday. Washington has said it is willing to attend a new round of talks with Iran. “About the readiness of the Americans for a new round of talks ... I respond that we do consider positively this initiative, Mottaki told a joint news briefing in Baghdad with his Iraqi counterpart Hoshiyar Zebari. (Posted @ 15:25 PST)
Pakistan sees Al-Qaeda link to blast near Musharraf HQ ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (AFP) Pakistani police said Wednesday that Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network and the Taliban are likely linked to a suicide attack near President Musharraf's army office that killed seven people. Tuesday's blast in Rawalpindi may also be a reaction to an ongoing government crackdown on militants in northwest Pakistan and a raid on Islamabad’s Lal Masjid, the city police chief said. “Taliban and Al-Qaeda elements are there. Most probably they could be instrumental in this attack,” Rawalpindi police chief Saud Aziz told AFP. Aziz said police had found the disfigured head of the bomber, who is believed to be about 23 years old. “A plastic surgeon has reconstructed the face of the bomber. Police also found three of his fingers and have sent them to the national registration office for identification,” he said. Police were also carrying out DNA tests on the attacker's remains. Aziz said there could also be connections to operations against a Taliban-style cleric in northwestern Swat Valley and clashes with rebels in Pakistan's troubled tribal areas. Army helicopter gunships strafed militant positions in Swat Wednesday as a shaky truce in the area collapsed. “This could have links with the Red Mosque, the situation in Swat and the tribal areas. We have strong suspicions on all three factors,” Aziz said. “We have launched a search of Afghan-dominated areas (in Rawalpindi and nearby Islamabad) and teams are monitoring their neighbourhoods.” (Posted @ 15:20 PST)
Mass grave containing the remains of 16 discovered in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Oct 31 (AP) A senior Iraqi military official said Wednesday that Iraqi forces have discovered 16 corpses in the basement shelter of a building in Baghdad. Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi said that the remains, discovered in the Fadhl area of downtown Baghdad Monday, were recovered and taken to the morgue Tuesday. (Posted @ 14:55 PST)
Russia FM delivers 'Putin message' to Iran TEHRAN, Oct 31 (AFP) Russia's foreign minister delivered a mystery Kremlin message to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his surprise trip to Iran amid growing tensions over the its atomic drive, media reports said Wednesday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov “submitted a message to the Iranian president from his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin” during his brief evening visit Tuesday, Iranian state media said. No further details over the message were disclosed. During the talks with Lavrov, Ahmadinejad reaffirmed Iran's stance in its nuclear programme, vowing not to back down in the face of international pressure and to continue cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). (Posted @ 14:50 PST)
Benazir Bhutto to travel to Dubai KARACHI, Oct 31 (AP) Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto may soon travel to Dubai to visit her husband and three children, her party spokesman said Wednesday. Spokesman Farhatullah Babar said no schedule had been set for a visit to the Arab emirate, although other Benazir aides said she could leave as early as Wednesday evening. The aides, requesting anonymity because they were not authorized to reveal the plans, said the opposition leader would remain in Dubai until the Supreme Court decides whether President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's recent election victory was constitutional. A ruling in that case is expected by Friday. Babar said Benazir would meet with party leaders at her Karachi residence Wednesday and that those consultations could go into the night. ''She might be going to see her husband and children, but a date is not set yet,'' Babar said. ''Whether it would be this week or next week, I'm really not in a position to say.'' Babar said Benazir still planned to visit Rawalpindi, near the capital, Islamabad, on November 9. The aides said she would fly there directly after her visit to Dubai. (Posted @ 14:20 PST)
Three al-Qaeda-linked militants killed in clash in Kirkuk BAGHDAD, Oct 31 (AP) U.S. forces hunting for a senior al-Qaeda militant leader killed three suspected terrorists Wednesday after surrounding a building in the northern city of Kirkuk, the military said. The military said coalition forces surrounded the building and demanded that the occupants come out. A fight broke out when coalition forces spotted a group of men ''manoeuvring'' on the building's roof, according to a U.S. military statement. The clash came around the same time as a failed assassination attempt on an investigative judge in Kirkuk. Police Brig. Gen. Sarhat Qadir said gunmen in a vehicle attacked Judge Zaher al-Bayati around 8:30 a.m. in the city's southern al-Wasiti neighbourhood. Two bodyguards were killed, Qadir said, but Al-Bayati, a Turkoman, was unharmed. About 20 minutes later, drive-by shooters opened fire on an intelligence officer as he was driving with his wife and daughter, the police chief said. The intelligence officer escaped injury, but both his wife and 5-year-old daughter were hurt. (Posted @ 14:15 PST)
Russia 'terrorist' bus bomb kills eight, injures 56 MOSCOW, Oct 31 (Reuters) At least eight people were killed and 56 were injured Wednesday in an explosion on a bus in the Russian city of Togliatti and authorities said they were treating the suspected bombing as a terrorist act. The early morning explosion on the bus was probably caused by about 1 kg of explosives, local police sources were quoted by local news agencies as saying. (First Posted @ 10:40 PST, Updated @ 14:10 PST)
Afghans, NATO kill 20 Taliban in big operation KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Oct 31 (Reuters) Afghan and NATO-led troops killed some 20 Taliban fighters in an operation close to Kandahar city after an insurgent move to capture the district, a police chief said Wednesday. Afghan army and troops from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) launched an operation around Arghandab, some 12 km from Kandahar, this week to counter Taliban forces, local officials said. At least 20 Taliban were killed in the fighting around Arghandab Monday and Tuesday and another 25 wounded, Kandahar police chief Sayed Agha Saqib said. (Posted @ 14:05 PST)
Cricket- Pakistan appoint Younis vice captain for India tour LAHORE, Pakistan, Oct 31 (AFP) Pakistan Wednesday appointed Younis Khan as deputy to captain Shoaib Malik for the tour of India starting later this week. Younis replaces opener Salman Butt, who lost his place in the final eleven because of poor batting form. Butt did not play in any of the five-match one-day series against South Africa which ended in tourists' 3-2 win on Monday. (Posted @ 13:10 PST)
More than 100 Buddhist monks march for first time since last month's crackdown YANGON, Myanmar, Oct 31 (AP) More than 100 Buddhist monks marched and chanted in northern Myanmar for nearly an hour Wednesday, in the first such march since the government's crackdown last month on pro-democracy demonstrations, two monks said. The monks started their march at Shwegu Pagoda in Pakokku and marched for nearly one hour chanting Buddhist prayers and then returned to the respective monasteries, two monks said. (Posted @ 12:40 PST)
Two killed as shell hits hotel in North Waziristan MIRANSHAH, Pakistan, Oct 31 (AFP) Two people were killed Wednesday when a shell hit a hotel near Miranshah in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal region near the Afghan border during a clash between security forces and militants, officials said. Suspected pro-Taliban militants fired four rockets overnight at a checkpost near Miranshah and opened fire with light weapons, a security official said. There were no military casualties and troops responded with artillery fire from their heavily fortified base in Miranshah, the official said requesting anonymity. One mortar shell hit a hotel in the city's main bazaar during the exchange of fire, killing two employees, while several other shops were damaged, residents and local officials said. Another two people wounded in the clash were admitted to hospital, doctors said. The origin of the round that hit the hotel was not immediately clear. (Posted @ 12:30 PST)
Pakistan opens probe into suicide attack that killed seven near Musharraf's office ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Oct 31 (AP) Pakistani authorities have reconstructed the severed head of the suicide bomber who killed seven people near President Musharraf's office, as a probe was opened to determine who was behind the blast, police said Wednesday. The attack came Tuesday, when three police officers and four civilians were killed when a suicide bomber on foot blew himself up less than 500 meters from Musharraf's office. Surgeons have ''reconstructed'' the severed head of the attacker, said Saud Aziz, police chief of Rawalpindi. ''We are trying to determine the identity of the attacker. We will release his sketch soon,'' Aziz said. Supreme Court of Pakistan, meanwhile, set a preliminary hearing for Thursday on the deadly failed attempt on ex-premier Benazir Bhutto's life earlier this month, said Supreme Court spokesman Arshad Munir. (Posted @ 11:20 PST)
Sri Lanka says kills seven rebels in northern clashes COLOMBO, Oct 31 (Reuters) Sri Lankan troops killed seven Tamil Tiger rebels in fighting in the island's north, the military said Wednesday. The clashes Tuesday in the Jaffna peninsula and Vavuniya came just days after the rebels had mounted their biggest suicide operation backed by air strikes. Four rebel bunkers were also destroyed in Jaffna, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said. (Posted @ 11:10 PST)
At least seven killed in Russia bus “explosion” MOSCOW, Oct 31 (Reuters) At least seven people were killed Wednesday in an explosion on a bus in the Russian city of Togliatti, Russian news agencies said. The cause of the early morning explosion at an intersection in the city was not immediately clear, Interfax news agency quoted the Russian emergencies ministry as saying. More than 20 people were injured in the incident in Togliatti which is situated on the Volga river more than 1,000km southwest of Moscow. (Posted @ 10:40 PST)
Three killed in Thai south NARATHIWAT, Thailand, Oct 31 (AFP) One person was killed in multiple bombings across southern Thailand, while two suspected militants died in a gun battle with security forces, police said Wednesday. A 45-year-old man died after small bombs exploded almost simultaneously inside 10 karaoke bars Tuesday night in Yala. Four other people were wounded in the attacks, which police blamed on suspected militants. Also in Yala, two suspected rebels were shot dead during a 10-minute gun battle with security forces Tuesday. (Posted @ 10:25 PST)
Powerful earthquake hits South Pacific islands TOKYO, Oct 31 (AP) A powerful earthquake with a preliminary 7.5 magnitude struck near the Marianas Islands in the South Pacific, Japan's weather agency said Wednesday, adding that there was no threat of a tsunami. The quake struck about half past noon at a depth of about 220 kilometres, the Meteorological Agency said. The agency said the temblor's epicentre was in the northernmost reaches of the island chain.(Posted @ 10:00 PST)
Slim Pakistani support for fighting militants: poll WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (Reuters) Islamabad's fight against Islamic militants has only weak support among Pakistanis, who also strongly oppose allowing outside forces to fight al Qaeda in Pakistan, according to a poll released Wednesday. The WorldPublicOpinion.org poll conducted last month also showed scant support for President Pervez Musharraf. The poll of 907 Pakistanis in urban areas found that 44 percent favour sending the Pakistani army to northwestern tribal areas to pursue and capture al Qaeda militants, while 48 percent support allowing the Pakistan army to fight Taliban insurgents who have crossed over from Afghanistan. About one-third of respondents opposed military action in those two cases and a fifth declined to answer, the poll showed. An overwhelming 80 percent of respondents voiced opposition to allowing U.S. or other foreign troops to attack al Qaeda on Pakistani territory. Seventy-seven percent opposed allowing foreign troops to attack Taliban insurgents based in Pakistan, the poll showed. Only 5 percent said they approved of missions by foreign troops to pursue Taliban or al Qaeda. Among urban Pakistanis asked to name “the best person to lead Pakistan” 27 percent named Bneazir Bhutto, 21 percent cited Musharraf and 21 percent supported former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. “The Pakistani people are not enthusiastic about Musharraf, do not support his recent crackdown on fundamentalists, and are lukewarm at best about going after al Qaeda or the Taliban in western Pakistan,” said WorldPublicOpinion.org director Steven Kull. “It appears that a US strategy that rests on Musharraf being a front line in the war on terrorism has poor prospects,” he said in a statement accompanying the poll. (Posted @ 09:45 PST)
Japanese fighter jet crashes on takeoff at central Japan airport; two pilots hurt TOKYO, Oct 31 (AP) A Japanese fighter jet crashed an instant after takeoff and went up in flames Wednesday at an airport in central Japan, lightly injuring the two pilots, a spokesman for aircraft's manufacturer said. Footage on broadcaster TV Asahi showed the jet take off from the runway in Nagoya, only to suddenly tip downward and skid along the ground in flames. National broadcaster NHK showed the pilots jumping from the burning fuselage. The flames were extinguished by 9:25 a.m., about ten minutes after the crash. Ikuno said the company was seeking further details about the cause of the crash. Nagoya airport was closed indefinitely, spokesman Shinji Ono said. (Posted @ 09:35 PST)
Death toll reaches 43 as Tropical Storm Noel rages across Caribbean HAVANA, Oct 31 (AFP) At least 43 people were killed in floods and landslides triggered by Tropical Storm Noel as it barrelled across Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba, in the Caribbean, officials said Tuesday. After drenching Hispaniola, an island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Noel late Tuesday moved slowly across the Cuban interior. It left at least 30 people dead and 15 reported missing in the Dominican Republic. The National Emergency Committee said nearly 20,000 people had to evacuate their homes across the country. (Posted @ 09:25 PST)
Kucinich questions Bush's mental health over Iran WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (Reuters) Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich Tuesday mockingly questioned President George W. Bush's mental health for saying Iran's nuclear ambitions might trigger World War III. “I seriously believe we have to start asking questions about his mental health,” Kucinich, a quirky, long-shot candidate in the race for his party's presidential nomination in the November, 2008 election. “There's something wrong. He does not seem to understand his words have real impact.” Kucinich spoke to the editorial board of The Philadelphia Inquirer ahead of a Democratic debate in Philadelphia. Bush told a news conference two weeks ago: “I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them (Iran) from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.” (Posted @ 09:20 PST)
Moderate earthquake shakes San Francisco Bay area ALUM ROCK, California, Oct 31 (AP) A moderate earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay area, but there was no immediate word on any damage or injuries. The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 and struck shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday, about 9 miles northeast of San Jose, according to the U.S. Geological Service. The California Highway Patrol has received no reports of damage or injuries, spokesman Tom Marshall said. The quake was centred in the foothills east of San Jose. (Posted @ 09:15 PST)
Israel shells Gaza police post, four dead GAZA, Oct 31 (Reuters) Israeli forces killed four Hamas policeman in an attack on their compound in the southern Gaza Strip Tuesday, Hamas members and Palestinian hospital officials said. The Israeli military confirmed its forces carried out the shelling in Abasan village, east of Khan Younis. Earlier, an Israeli missile struck Gaza City's Jabalya refugee camp, wounding six Palestinian civilians, hospital officials said. (Posted @ 08:50 PST)
State power vs street power By Mubarak Ali
IN modern times, people’s power emerged most radically and effectively after the French Revolution in 1789 when a Parisian crowd demolished the Bastille in defiance of state oppression and ultimately ended the rule of the Bourbon dynasty by executing the king and the queen. The events stunned other European countries that became apprehensive of crowds and fearful of their revolutionary fervour.
This was also the time when England was facing unrest and discontent because of industrialisation. There were a number of riots, strikes and demonstrations by workers and radical groups to force the government to accept their demands. In 1819, occurred the massacre of radical groups in Manchester which was called the ‘Peterloo massacre’ by the people in a reference to the battle of Waterloo.
The British government realised that repeated strikes and marches by the people could not be controlled by the army which was trained to fight in open fields against the enemy but not crowds of people in cities. To control mobs was quite a different matter. Therefore, in 1829, the Metropolitan Police Act set up a new type of force to combat street power on behalf of the state and to curb crimes in the city.
Another important change which took place in Europe was the revolution of 1848 which broke out in Vienna, Paris and Berlin. The army found it difficult to chase the crowd in the narrow streets of these cities. When the revolution was crushed, all these cities were rebuilt to control crowds in case of riots and demonstrations.
In the new city planning, roads were straighter and wider in order to facilitate the movement of troops against demonstrators.
During the colonial period, the British brought both these techniques to India. New concepts of making towns ‘police-friendly’ went into practice in Lucknow, Lahore and Delhi. The army was used to crush rebellions, and in extreme situations it was called to help the civil authorities. The police force was, however, used to check crowds and demonstrators. As the freedom movement gained momentum, strikes and popular marches became common throughout India.
In these circumstances, the role of the police became vital to keep law and order, to protect government property, and to defend the authority of the colonial state. To disperse crowds, the police resorted to all types of brutal methods and the ‘lathi charge’ became a household term.
Later, the police were given new weapons including teargas shells to subdue the crowds. The result was that there emerged strong and deep hostility and animosity between the people and the police. Both had adversarial images of each other. To the people, the police were a brutal and inhuman force which served the cause of the ruling classes; while to the police the people were trouble-makers and, therefore, had to be dealt with an iron hand.
In Pakistan, the state continued the colonial legacy by using the police to smash and crush any demonstration and agitation against the government. The police continued as a brutal institution of the state which was used against the people. Whenever it got a chance it lathi-charged mobs mercilessly, threw teargas shells on the crowds indiscriminately and in some cases killed by firing on the crowd.
The conflict between the police and the people becomes pronounced in political systems that are dictatorial, non-democratic and intolerant of any popular dissent. Every government is afraid of a people’s movement. Z.A. Bhutto used the mob against Ayub Khan for the purpose of attaining political power. As soon as he was in power he did not fail to remind the people that ‘the state was stronger than the street’.
For the last 60 years, we have observed this conflict between state power and street power in Pakistan. In big cities like Karachi, Lahore, Hyderabad, Rawalpindi and Multan, and smaller cities where there are narrow streets and lanes, the police have failed to combat the demonstrators. For example, in Karachi, Liaquatabad is famous for its narrow lanes where police cannot chase the mob easily.
It is easy for the police to attack and disperse the crowd in open streets such as The Mall in Lahore or M.A. Jinnah Road in Karachi. Islamabad is different in that way. It has no sector with narrow streets or labyrinthine lanes. It is open and all its streets are straight and wide. Therefore, any demonstration can easily be dispersed by the police. Its planning is tailor-made for law-enforcement authorities.
Generally, the rulers underestimate street power and attempt to crush it by using force. History shows that street power has radically changed systems and overthrown unpopular governments. This happened in Georgia, Ukraine and, after the fall of Russia, most of the East European countries. However, dictators do not learn any lesson from history and, believing in state power, strive to sustain their authority till the very end.
Sadly, in Pakistan, street power and the people’s challenge to unpopular governments have always produced results not in their favour but to the advantage of discredited politicians who are always looking for opportunities to grab power in the name of the people. It was evident in the mass protest against Ayub Khan, Z.A. Bhutto, Ziaul Haq, and the present military government.
In the end, as a result of their protest, the same opportunist and power-hungry leaders, who have already betrayed the trust of the people, emerge again as potential candidates to rule over the country.
Unlike dictatorships, democratic societies tolerate street power and allow people to express their views openly. It is not necessary that the people’s voice should change the policies of the government, but it helps the people to present their opinion and to remind the ruling majority of their presence at the time of elections.
Founder: Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah
Editor: Abbas Nasir
The DAWN Group of Newspapers
Haroon House, Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road, Karachi 74200, Pakistan.
Phone:+92 (21) 111-444-777 Fax: +92 (21) 569-3995
webmaster@dawn.com
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