Do Countries Sell Their Own People? Civil liberties in the age of the War on Terror
Venue: HRCP auditorium (107 Tipu Block, Garden Town, Near Barkat Market).
Map: 
Date: Sunday, 23rd March, 2008
Starting Time: 3:00 pm
Organizers: Students Action Committee, Young Professionals Lahore, FastRising
About the speakers:
Mrs. Amna Masood Janjua, spokesperson of the families of the missing people.
Mrs. Masood’s husband went missing in May 2005. Since then she has struggled for the release of her husband whose whereabouts are still unknown. She has been joined by the relatives of other missing persons whose loved ones went missing during the last few years (President Musharraf, in his autobiography, “In the Line of Fire”, has allegedly boasted of ‘selling’ suspects to US agencies). The issue made headlines when Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry took notice and ensured the release of more than a hundred missing persons from the shackles of illegal detention.
We also hope to have with us a senior lawyer of the Lahore High Court who can shed some light on this issue from the perspective of human rights law and practice in Pakistan.
Rationale: We hope that this seminar will be an opportunity for ordinary citizens to engage in a constructive debate on this issue. We need to understand how pervasive corruption and the lack of due process and of accountability of the state machinery has caused such suffering for the missing persons and their families on the one hand, and on the other, has made it possible for the establishment to subvert democratic norms in order to fulfil its obligations as a frontline state in the War on Terror.
We reiterate our stance that we are against the use of violence to achieve political aims. Thus we reject the blanket cover offered by the term “collateral damage”, whether used by NATO or by their enemies. We believe in strengthening and reforming our judicial system and in vesting greater authority in the elected representatives of the people, in order that the cycle of violence and revenge be ended through a fair process of arbitration.
Spreading the word: If you wish to publicise the event, please share this link with them, or else print out our poster and post it on your notice-board at university or in your office.
R.S.V.P: aileeeNU AT gmail, 0343 – 416 74 47
March 19, 2008 at 2:19 pm
[...] these are questions that plague your mind and your conscience, please join us for a discussion on civil liberties in the age of the War on [...]
March 20, 2008 at 8:26 am
I am based in Britain and in the recent political crisis in Pakistan, we have setup a Pakistan Solidarity Campaign in Britain to discuss the issues and help in whatever way we can to bring about a genuine democratic Pakistan. British administration has been supporting Musharraf and his policies in Pakistan. Earlier this year Gordon Brown received Musharraf at Downing Street. Gordon Brown has also indicated that Pakistan be allowed to return to Commonwealth. We, in the Pakistan Solidarity Campaign have contacted our members of the British Parliament to raise the issue of the judiciary and the position of the British administration and its support for Musharraf. In particular we have raised the issue of the missing with these members of parliament. Some of them have agreed to take up the issue. We need to provide a lsit of missing and some case information so they can raise this with British administration.
I hope the event goes well and hopefully we can together bring about the closure of all illegal prisons and release of all the missing in Pakistan.
Naeem
March 21, 2008 at 2:08 pm
AOA,
My prayers are with you people. Its all a part of the big game played by the zionist and Musharraf and the military regime are just biting their time.
The least we can do is speak out against it in our own surroundings. Informed public is our greatest weapon.
Salam
March 26, 2008 at 5:45 am
[...] 23rd March 2008, the 68th anniversary of the adoption of the Pakistan Resolution. Entitled “Do countries sell their own people? A discussion on civil liberties in the age of the War on Terror“, the event presented the plight of the families of the victims of state-sponsored [...]
September 15, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I am British Pakistani based in Britain and in the recent political crisis in Pakistan, we have setup a save Pakistan Campaign in Britain to discuss the issues and help in whatever way we can to bring about a genuine democratic Pakistan. British administration has been supporting Musharraf and his policies in Pakistan. Earlier this year Gordon Brown received Musharraf at Downing Street. Gordon Brown has also Recently indicated that USA be allowed to Attack to the pakistan. We, in the save Pakistan Campaign have contacted our members of the British Parliament to raise the issue of the judiciary and the position of the British administration and its support for USA against the pakistan. In particular we have raised the issue of the missing with these members of parliament. Some of them have agreed to take up the issue. We need to provide a lsit of missing and some case information so they can raise this with British administration.
we hope the Afforts goes well and hopefully we can together bring about the closure of all illegal prisons and release of all the missing in Pakistan.
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MahMood Malik,S. Vise President PPP.UK(Savepakistan@hotmail.com)
September 20, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I met a victim of this, a wife of a missing person in Birmingham very recently. I abhor this practice in Pakistan and of course, elsewhere. It is ridiculous for weak governments to join USA President’s so-called ‘war on terror’ when his policy has caused so much unrest, injustice and death of innocent people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine/Israel, Latin American states etc, the list is too big. He is the biggest ‘Terrorist’ in my opinion, more so since the event of 9-11, mind you, I do not condone it, but the way Bush’s government has caused an uproar for this, globally, there will be more resistance, worldwide.
Why does he not, for a change, close down Guantanamo Bay? Innocent people are also sent there, who are not charged, and cannot be, as there is no proof against them. Take the case of Moazzem Begg, who too resides in Birmingham UK, and is now released, thanks to people’s pressure! The more America dominates states like Pakistan and others, including also European States, more contempt will be felt towards this materially and militarily powerful United States of America, with its close ally, namely Israel. His recruiting of more states in NATO is also a very negative Agenda.
Restore PEACE, tomorrow is World’s Peace Day, declared by United Nations.
September 20, 2008 at 3:58 pm
This very person was no other than Mrs Janjua herself whose husband Mr Masood is mysteriously missing. I heard her presentation in Birmingham and it was very moving.
See my blog: http://zarinaspeaks.wordpress.com
September 22, 2008 at 9:20 pm
[...] FAST-NU family members are cordially invited to attend a seminar on the missing persons case, “Do countries sell their own people? Civil liberties in the age of the War on Terror.” [...]