KARACHI, Oct 18: Representatives of civil society organizations and citizens, at a meeting on Thursday, expressed solidarity with the Afghan people.

The participants of the meeting held at the office of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, expressed concern at the disastrous effects of war on the lives of the people of Afghanistan.

They called for an end to the bombing of civilians, protecting their lives and added that actions unacceptable from the humanitarian perspective be stopped.

They demanded that the provision of relief goods to Afghans must be guaranteed and the lives of relief agency workers protected. Thousands of Afghan children in refugee camps live under threat of death by starvation and disease. Concern was also expressed at the violent attitude developing in Pakistan due to the attacks on Afghanistan.

A joint action committee comprising representatives of civil society organizations was formed to develop public opinion against the attacks. It was decided that meetings and seminars would be organized in this regard.

The civil society organizations who attended the meeting were the HRCP, Amnesty International, Women Action Forum, Shirkatgah, Aurat Foundation, War (War Against Rape), Idara-i-Amn-o-Insaaf, Pakistan Peace Coalition, Urban Resource Centre, Indus Resource Centre, Piler and Forum.

WALK: The HRCP will organize a walk on Oct 28, at 9:00am, from Sharea Faisal to Mazar-i-Quaid-i-Azam to create awareness among citizens about devastation in Afghanistan.—PPI