UNITED NATIONS: April 18: The government must immediately release supporters of the opposition People’s Party Parliamentarians arbitrarily arrested in a countrywide crackdown last week, the Human Rights Watch said Monday. The PPP supporters were arrested to prevent them from greeting Asif Zardari, husband of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, on his return from a trip to Dubai to meet his family.

“Gen Musharraf talks of ‘enlightened moderation’ and says he is moving towards full democracy,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at the Human Rights Watch.

“But democracies do not use force to prevent peaceful gatherings. There is nothing enlightened or moderate about arresting thousands of people who merely want to participate in the country’s political process.

“The government must immediately release those arrested and stop using outdated, repressive laws to stifle political expression,” said Adams.

“The government must also take action against officials responsible for using excessive force to prevent a peaceful political gathering.”