Baton-charge on PPP workers condemned

Published January 16, 2007

ATTOCK, Jan 15: Leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Attock, have strongly condemned the baton charge on PPP workers and leaders by Attock police on Sunday, injuring scores of them.

The workers were on way to Rawalpindi to participate in PPP meeting at Liaquat Bagh.

PPP leaders including Malik Hakmeen Khan, Sheikh Ehsanuddin advocate, Rana Afsar Ali Khan advocate, Syed Barkat Ali Bukhari, Ghayas uddin, Dr Naeem Awan, Shahan Malik and others on Monday, termed the police action as illegal and inhuman. They said the government had failed in protecting fundamental rights of the people. They were victimised for raising voice for the restoration of democracy, they said. They charged that the government was snatching from the people even their right to protest, which he said was one of the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution.

They castigated the government for “using all resources and machinery against the PPP” accusing the rulers of running a malicious propaganda campaign against Benazir Bhutto.

They said through this unwise measure, the rulers had created a confrontation-like situation in the country.