LONDON, Jan 21: The Pakistan People’s Party staged a protest demonstration here in front of 10 Downing Street for about two hours on Sunday afternoon raising slogans against President Pervez Musharraf and his government
The demonstrators, some 300 strong and mostly of Kashmiri origin from London and outside, carried placards demanding UN-led investigation into Benazir Bhutto’s assassination and asking Musharraf to step down.
The PPP UK presented a memorandum to Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling for his cooperation in persuading Islamabad to seek UN help to unveil the actual plotters behind Ms Bhutto’s murder. The memorandum was received by an official on behalf of the PM.
Later in the evening some 50 professionals of Pakistani origin, mostly doctors staged another protest demonstration in front of the Pakistan High Commission. They were demanding the restoration of pre-Nov 3 state of superior judiciary and immediate release of incarcerated judges and lawyers.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the PPP is planning an even bigger demonstration on January 28 in front of 10 Downing Street when Mr Musharraf is tentatively scheduled to meet Prime Minister Brown.
In another development, the Campaign Against Martial Law in Pakistan (CAML), a group formed by students, lawyers, doctors, other professionals, businessmen and civil society activists of Pakistani origin following the March 9 confrontation between the president and the superior judiciary, has also planned protest demonstrations against Musharraf during his three-day stay here next week.
Asma Jahangir of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf both of whom are expected to be here on Monday next have agreed to join the demonstration at 10 Downing Street. Jemima Khan with her two sons is also expected to be present at the demonstration on Jan. 28.
