Authorities in northwest Pakistan have banned political gatherings and a protest convoy has been halted in Sindh as a crackdown on activists spreads. Dozens of lawyers and political leaders were arrested in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) overnight.
Protesters have been trying to reach Islamabad by Monday on a "long march" that is demanding the reinstatement of sacked judges. The government says the march is aimed at destabilizing the country.
Protest organizers had intended the four-day march from cities across Pakistan to culminate in a sit-in at the parliament in Islamabad, on Monday. According to the BBC, while protests will continue throughout Pakistani cities and activists may try to reach the capital in small groups, the crackdown has effectively ended the "long march". Protest organizers say that more than 1,000 opposition leaders and activists have already been jailed or put under house arrest.
President of the Supreme Court bar association, Ali Ahmed Kurd said he "strongly condemned the Sindh government for stopping our peaceful march". He added: "We will try to reach Islamabad by other routes and appeal to all Pakistanis to reach Islamabad in groups or as individuals by any possible means. This action of the government has shown to the people of Pakistan and the entire world that lawyers cannot move freely in their own country."
No comments:
Post a Comment