February 29, 2008	Friday	Safar 21, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Feb 28: Insaani Haqooq-i-Ittehad — an alliance of civil society organisations— and concerned citizens of Pakistan, on Wednesday condemned the attack and brutal killing of the staff of an NGO in Mansehra.

While expressing solidarity with the staff of Plan International, the alliance offered condolences to the families of the innocent people who lost their lives in this heinous act, particularly the two women who were amongst the dead in the incident.

“We demand that the state, whose responsibility is to protect the peaceful citizens of the country, must take firm action against criminal elements who are targeting peace and security and destroying the country,” it said.

The alliance, in a statement issued here, said besides Plan International in Mansehra, various offices of Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) — the largest national rights- based organisations — in D.I. Khan and Battagram were also attacked in September and October respectively last year, critically injuring a number of staff members and damaging property.

The staff and property of Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP), leading women’s organisation Khwendo Kor (KK) and Care International were also attacked in the last few months across NWFP.

They said the staff of Plan International was engaged in helping victims of the earthquake by rehabilitating and providing essential services to the affected community, adding that attacking humanitarian organisation was an inhuman action.

“It is deplorable that peaceful workers of development organisations, who are working for welfare of poor and marginalised people, should be targeted in this fashion. Such violence is in fact a ploy to gain political control over the population by coercion and fear, and is part of the cold blooded series of attacks on girls’ schools and CD shops,” the alliance maintained.

The recent elections have shown that the people of Pakistan have rejected such enemies of democracy and civilisation, and want to build a peaceful and democratic society for themselves and their children.

The Insani Haqooq-i-Ittehad calls upon all citizens to jointly oppose these criminal and anti-state elements.—Our Reporter