November 14, 2007	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 03, 1428

THATTA, Nov 13: Police on Tuesday used batons against activists of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and arrested more than 100 protesters, including three members of the Sindh Assembly and 31 members of AT, ANP and JI, when they staged demonstrations in different parts of Sindh against house arrest of Benazir Bhutto and the imposition of emergency. Late into the night police in Hyderabad and Larkana released women leaders and activists of PPP on personal bond.

MPA Ms Sassui Palijo and 25 PPP workers were arrested in Thatta, over 50 workers belonging to PPP, ANP, JI and AT, and PPP MPAs Zahid Bhurgari and Farheen Mughal were picked up in Hyderabad and 25 PPP workers were arrested in Larkana. There are also unconfirmed reports of PPP activists staging hunger strike in Diplo jail.

A heavy contingent of police in plainclothes arrested MPA Sassui Palijo and 25 PPP activists in Thatta after storming a big party gathering staging sit-in on the National Highway. Some participants suffered minor injuries from baton charge by police.

Hundreds of PPP supporters and activists led by Ms Sassui staged a procession wearing black armbands, waving party flags and chanting slogans. The procession went to the highway where the participants staged a sit-in suspending traffic for one and a half hours. Police attacked the protesters when party leaders were delivering speeches.

Talking from the police lockup Ms Sassui said that atrocities and inhuman treatment by the state could not stop then from their struggle for the restoration of democracy.

ANP, JI, AT ACTIVISTS HELD: In Hyderabad, police arrested more than 50 activists of PPP, Awami National Party (ANP), Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Awami Tehrik (AT) in different parts of the city when they appeared on roads to protest house arrest of Benazir Bhutto, imposition of emergency and dismissal of judges.

The provincial assistant general secretary of JI Abdul Waheed Qureshi and four party activists were arrested after they staged a protest in the premises of civil courts.

Police picked up 12 ANP activists as they tried to stage a demonstration on the Hyderabad-Tando Mohammad Khan road outside the Zealpak Colony and held five AT activists outside the Hyderabad press club for protesting against emergency.

A large number of PPP activists led by MPA Zahid Bhurgari protested in a cinema a few yards from Cantonment police station and came out raising slogans against emergency. Soon afterwards a heavy contingent of police arrived there and herded them into police mobiles.

Still a handful of them managed to march towards the press club but police arrested three of them were near the press club. In all, 23 including MPAs Zahid Bhurgari and Farheen Mughal and three women were arrested.

Police also arrested three PPP activists from Talab No-3.

Meanwhile, Cantonment police sent four AT activists including Shahnawaz Khaskheli, Nawab Ali Rajur, Adil Khaskheli and Kamran Lakho to jail for 30 days under Maintenance of Pubic Order Ordinance (MPO), confirmed the SHO.

Police later released the nine women activists arrested during raids on the demonstrations on personal bonds.

Shutter down strike was observed in Nasarpur town of Matiari district after police used batons against the participants of a rally taken out by PPP activists.

Police arrested Syed Sajjad Ali Shah advocate, Syed Asif Ali, Zeeshan Channa, Khuda Bux Unnar, Imam Bux Chhutto, Akram Abbasi, Rahmatullah Chhutto and several others after raiding a rally led by local party leader, Darbar Ali Shah.

Larkana ARRESTS: In Larkana, police arrested 25 PPP workers, including acting president of Larkana PPP and divisional president of women wing after a raid on the party’s main office and clashes around Pakistan Chowk.

As the activists were getting ready to take to streets against the detention of their leader, a heavy contingent of police forced into the party office in Kennedy Market and picked up Khair Muhammed Shaikh, acting president of Larkana PPP, Aftab Nek Muhammed Bhutto, city president, Dr Tanveer Gaad, councilor, Muhammed Khan Bhutto, Zulfikar Chahwan and Nisar Bhutto.

The arrests sparked skirmishes between police and party supporters at Pakistan Chowk. Police used batons to disperse protesters and arrested Ms Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto, divisional president of women wing, Mehrunissa Solangi, Ghani Jatoi, president of SPSF, Muhammed Saleem Soomro, president of People’s Youth Larkana, Abdul Rasheed Abbasi, Munwar Kalhoro, Fida Hussain Magsi, Kamran Odhano, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Shamsuddain Mughiri, Shahzado Jiskani, Zahid Mughiri and Khalid Hussain Bhutto.

Three PPP workers Talib Hussain Jarwar, Khadim Hussain Bhutto and Anwar Ali Shaikh were arrested in Ratodero town. PPP MNA Anwar Bhutto confirmed arrests and said that the protest would continue and soon the workers would court arrests in Larkana.

Larkana police late on Tuesday night released Ms Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto, divisional president of PPP women wing and Ms Maherunissa Solangi and registered a case against the 17 other PPP activists.

Qambar police registered case against 25 PPP workers including its taluka and city president for bringing out a procession in violation of section 144 after the protesters in the lead of Malik Gaibi Khan Chandio and Punhal Soomro protested against the detention of Ms Benazir Bhutto and staged a procession.

The procession terminated in front of the press club where the leaders lashed out at the government for imposing emergency and arresting party workers.

Police registered case under section 188 against Malik Ghaibi Khan, Punhal Soomro, Abdul Sattar Gopang, Muhammed Ali Tnio, Noor Muhammed, Altaf Brohi and others.

Police also arrested five AT activists from Jinnahbagh’s Gate. They were sent to jail after police filed a case against them under section 188 Cr PC (violation of section 144) at Marekt police station. They were protesting against emergency and arrests of leaders and activists of different parties.

They were identified as Waseem Chandio, Sajjid Mahar, Muzaffar Kazi, Inayat Abbasi and Abdul Karim Chachar.

LAWYERS BOYCOTT COURTS: Lawyers also boycotted court proceedings and held a general body meeting. Acting president of District Bar Association Abdul Rasheed Shah, member of Sindh Bar Council Asif Soomro and general secretary of High court Bar Association Inayat Morio slammed the imposition of emergency and detention of Supreme Court judges.

They said that the lawyers would not stop their movement which they had started for the supremacy of law and the constitution in the country.

In Khairpur, PPP MPA Nawab Khan Wassan condemned the house arrest of party chairperson in Lahore and baton charge against party leaders. He said while addressing a rally in Kumb that the actions of Punjab police to create hurdles to the planned long march by PPP showed that there were separate laws for government allies and PPP leaders.

The chief minister of Punjab was holding rallies and public gatherings while PPP leaders and activists were being arrested, baton charged and subjected to torture for committing the same offence. The participants of the rally raised slogans against Punjab police and chief minister of Punjab.

There were unconfirmed reports that 16 PPP workers went on hunger strike in Diplo jail. They were arrested 15 days ago for leading a procession to Karachi from Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim’s hometown to receive Ms Bhutto on Oct 18.

In Mirpurkhas, PPP activists staged demonstrations against Ms Bhutto’s detention and government attempts to stop her from staging the long march.

Dozens of PPP women activists led by MPA Shamim Ara Panhwar and Khairun Nisa Mughal staged demonstration outside the press club carrying banners and placards.

They raised slogans against the government and demanded release of Benazir Bhutto and withdrawal of emergency. A large number of PPP workers and activists led by district president Haji Noor Hassan Chandio staged a demonstration in Digri and blocked the Digri-Tando Bago road by putting up hurdles, which led to suspension of traffic.

Party activists in Kot Ghulam Mohammad staged demonstration and blocked Digri road by burning tyres. Five AT workers courted arrest at the town police station during the party’s Jail Bharo campaign.

In Dadu, a large number of PPP activists staged a rally in Mehar in protest against house arrest of Benazir Bhutto and emergency in the country.