Program in DC Area: Baluchistan - Live Burial of Innocent Women

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2008
TYSONS CORNER PIMMIT LIBRARY
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Despite astounding leaps that our civilization has witnessed over recent decades human rights violation remains a matter of grave concern throughout the world. From Africa to Middle East and Asia to Europe and Americas human rights violation is rampant.

Case in point: Baluchistan: Live Burial of Innocent Women

ANAA condemns in the strongest possible terms the live burial of five innocent women in Baluchistan.

FACT: Balochistan Senator, Sardar Israrullah Zehri, defended the recent incident of burying alive in his province, saying “these are centuries-old traditions, and I will continue to defend them.”

FACT: Acting chairman of Pakistan's senate tried to minimize the brutality of the crime by stating, again on the floor, that only five women had died, the sky had not fallen.

FACT: Now Israrullah Zehri has been promoted to the national cabinet by Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari as Federal Minister of Postal Services.

FACT: Tribal chief, Fateh Ali Umrani accused the media and human rights bodies of using the ‘honor killing’ incident to defame the Baloch. Mr. Umrani headed the jirga that ordered the killing of innocent women.

The prevalent local politics and closely guarded cultural inhibitions in Baluchistan and adjoining Tribal areas and complications arising from ongoing war on terror, the effort needs to go much beyond the conventional voicing of concern through human rights organizations. We are deeply concerned and eager to put together an action plan that would consolidate our voice and let justice prevail in the face of this human right violation of unthinkable p roportions.

Key Note Speaker: Mr. T. Kumar

Amnesty International USA Advocacy Director for Asia & Pacific

Program: 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM: Registration & Networking

2:30 PM – 2:50 PM SWARA Tradition – Documentary

3:00 PM – 3:05 PM Opening Remarks

3:05 PM – 3:10 PM Welcome

3:20PM -3:25 PM Introduction – Key Note Speaker

3:25PM – 3:50 PM Key Note Speech – Mr. T. Kumar

3:50 PM – 4:00 PM Questions & Answers

4:00 PM -4:30 PM Interactive Discussion – Audience

4:30 PM – 4:45 PM Resolution, Vote & Signatures

Shah F. Abbas Athar Javaid Anwar Masood Zulekha Yusuf

703 628 3346 571 332 8786 240 252 0488 571 292 6494

Case Details - Click here

ANAA's letter to NY Time on their article on Education in Pakistan and Mr. Bijrani Case

24th Nov, 2008

To,

The NY Times Editor,

Dear Editor,

Nicolas Kristoff has been a true friend for people of Pakistan. He has fearlessly written for the survivors specially Mukhtaran Mai, Shazia Khalid and Aisha Parveen. Your paper is creating a needed space for civil society by exposing the utter incompetence and criminal behaviour of people in power.

I am the president of ANAA, US based advocacy group for people of Pakistan. In the past our efforts to highlight honour crimes and other human right abuses in Pakistan have been supported by timely published op-ed pieces in your paper.

We fully support Mr. Kristoff's recommendation to US policy maker in his recent article, The Pakistan Test published on November 22rd, 2008. It would have been timely that he had recommended the restoration of Pakistan Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, who had ordered the arrest of Mr Bijarani while presiding the Supreme Court. Justice Iftikhar is currently on a US trip to receive the Medal of Freedom from Harvard University.

Pakistan's civil society is grateful for your paper's contribution for rule of law and respect of human rights in Pakistan.

Regards,

Zaffar Iqbal, MD

ANAA President

Mr. Bijrani Case Details.

Nicolas Kristoff Blog

Nicolas Kristoff Reporting on:

Mukhtaran Mai Case:

Raped, kidnapped and silenced. NY Times, 14 June 2005

11 Years Old Wife Nicolas Kristoff. - NY Times 21 June 2005
A Free Women Nicolas Kristoff. - NY Times 19 June 2005
Detailed Archive on Mukhtaran Case prepared by ANAA

Dr. Shazia Khalid Case:
Another Face of Terror. NY Times, 31st July 2005
A Pakistani Rape and a Pakistani Love Story. NY Times, 2nd Aug 2005
Detailed Archive on Shazia Khalid Case prepared by ANAA

ANAA letter to Pakistan President protesting appoitment of a "Swara" facilitator as an Education Minister

11th Nov, 2008

To,

The President of Pakistan
3517 International Court, NW
Washington DC, 20008
Phone: 202-243-6500

Dear President Asif Ali Zardari,

ANAA is outraged at the appointment of Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani as federal education minister. As you are aware that Mr. Bijrani was arrested for chairing the jirga that decided to hand over five minor girls to settle a dispute in 2006.

This is how the story goes.

15th August 2007, Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Ahmed Chaudhry, ordered the arrest of 11 members of a jirga, including PPP MNA Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, for handing over five minor girls to the family of a murdered man as compensation to settle the dispute in Jacobabad.

Complaint was filed by a freelance anthropologist Samar Minallah against the handing over of five girls — Aamna, 5, Bashiran, 2, (daughters of Rahmatullah), Shehzadi, 6, Meerzadi, 2, (daughters of Hafeezullah) and Noor Bano, 3, (daughter of Yar Ali) — to the family of the murdered man as compensation.

The feud began in 1997 when one Miandad Banglani was killed in a shootout between Hafiz Qamaruddin and Ali Yar Banglani groups over karo-kari (honour killing). Police registered the case after nine years that too after the media highlighted the injustice.

The event of the jirga was recorded by a regional television and was shown during the hearing. The video footage contained statements of Yar Ali and Rehmatullah, fathers of three of the girls, endorsing the allegations that the girls had been given in to the victim's family as compensation and the decision of marriage had been taken up by the jirga. (Report by Daily Time, Dawn)

As ANAA President I urge you to rescind this appointment.

Regards

Zaffar Iqbal, MD
President ANAA


ANAA is US based, registered non-profit advocacy group focused on restoration of human rights in Pakistan. It is a totally volunteer run grass root organization. It is the pioneer group amongst the diaspora engaged in increasing awareness for civil struggle in Pakistan. ANAA believes in participatory politics as a basic human right in Pakistan. ANAA supports independent judiciary and freedom of media in Pakistan

Understanding "Swara" - Giving Minor Girls as Compensation

Samar Minallah made an excellent documentary on "Swara", a custom of settling disputes by giving away female children to the grieved party. The issue became more important as earlier this month, PPP appointed as their educational minister, Mr Bagrani, who was convicted by Supreme court (in Aug 2007) for chairing a jirga that ordered giving away minor girls for settling a murder case. (Details here)

PPP Appoints an alleged "Swara" Facilitator as an Education Minister

ANAA is outraged at the appointment of Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani as federal education minister. Mr. Bijrani was arrested for chairing the jirga that decided to hand over five minor girls to settle a dispute in 2006.

This is how the story goes.

15th August 2007, Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Ahmed Chaudhry, ordered the arrest of 11 members of a jirga, including PPP MNA Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, for handing over five minor girls to the family of a murdered man as compensation to settle the dispute in Jacobabad.

Complaint was filed by a freelance anthropologist Samar Minallah against the handing over of five girls — Aamna, 5, Bashiran, 2, (daughters of Rahmatullah), Shehzadi, 6, Meerzadi, 2, (daughters of Hafeezullah) and Noor Bano, 3, (daughter of Yar Ali) — to the family of the murdered man as compensation.

The feud began in 1997 when one Miandad Banglani was killed in a shootout between Hafiz Qamaruddin and Ali Yar Banglani groups over karo-kari (honour killing). Police registered the case after nine years that too after the media highlighted the injustice.

The event of the jirga was recorded by a regional television and was shown during the hearing. The video footage contained statements of Yar Ali and Rehmatullah, fathers of three of the girls, endorsing the allegations that the girls had been given in to the victim’s family as compensation and the decision of marriage had been taken up by the jirga. (Report by Daily Time, Dawn)

ACTION ALERT:

Please send an email to Pakistani Ambassador, Honourable Mr. Hussain Haqqani - ambassador@embassyofpakistanusa.org addressed to President of Pakistan, Mr Asif Ali Zardari showing your outrage at Mr. Bijarani's appointment and asking to rescind it.

ANAA's letter to Pakistani President protesting the appoinment.

Understanding "Swara" - giving Minor Girls as compensation - 6 minute documentary

Baluchistan: Live Burial of Innocent Women

ANAA condemn in the strongest possible terms the live burial of five innocent women in Baluchistan. What is infinitely worse is that a senator, no less, defended the heinous crime on the floor of the house.

Compounding the callous stupidity, the acting chairman of Pakistan's senate tried to minimize the brutality of the crime by stating, again on the floor, that only five women had died, the sky had not fallen.

We have made note of the statement of the leader of the team which performed post-mortem on two of the women that they were killed with blunt instruments before burial. That in no way mitigates the gravity of the dastardly crime.

We demand that

1. HR organization is Pakistan be, officially and formally, made part of the investigation.

2. The defenders of the cold blooded murders in the senate be reprimanded and proceedings started to suspend their membership of the house.

3. Hudood ordnance be repealed and "honor Killing" be made a crime against the state and not against a family to allow perpetrators to escape the full penalty of law, by coercing relatives to accept blood money.

4 An impartial and fair inquiry be instituted, the alleged perpetrator be tried and given punishment to the full extent of the law..

Read Reports
NBC: Honour killings persist in "man's world"

Pakistani Lawyers at the helm of Change

Pakistani Lawyer At Helm of Change
Goal Is Restoration of Ousted Judges

By Nora Boustany

Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, July 11, 2008; Page A10

During a visit to Washington last month, Ahsan warned American legislators that instability and uncertainty in Pakistan could not be remedied until judges removed from their jobs when President Pervez Musharraf imposed military rule last November were reinstated. Chaudhry himself had been returned to the bench last July following the massive spring protests.

Ahsan was in Washington to address the annual meeting of the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America. The combative lawyer also spoke to an overflow crowd at an event organized by Amnesty International.

"He is our big hope in our drive to support the rule of law," said Zaffar Iqbal, a physician with the Asian American Network Against Abuse of Human Rights. "Secular people want a fair system."

Full Article

Dr. Aafia Siddiqi Case

August 2008: We have gone over and carefully considered all the available reports on the disappearance in 2003, and the sudden reappearance in July 2008, of Dr Aafia Sidddiqi.

In 2003, Dr Aafia Siddiqi was apparently abducted in Pakistan by Pakistani intelligence. She then was found in US custody in Afghanistan in 2008. She 'disappeared' and surfaced only lately after the news was leaked and the international press picked it up. It would seem that her interrogation in an Afghan police station was stage managed. A loaded gun was placed near her. It was claimed that she picked it up and tried to kill Americans soldiers who were there to question her. Her shots went wild, but she was hit.

She was brought while still badly hurt to NY to face charges of attempted murder of American soldiers.

We uphold supremacy of law, an independent judiciary and condemn in unequivocal terms all transgressions of law, abduction, illegal incarceration, and transfer of prisoners from one territory to another with out due process.

We demand a thorough investigation by independent U.N.O mandated agencies into the whole affair and that all the agents of injustice and law breakers be brought to the International court of Justice at the Hague. Read Story

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui Case

Aug, 2008: Aafia Siddiqi disappearance in 2003 and then re-appearance in the custody of US is a blatant violation of human rights.

ANAA joins the community in asking for justice for Ms Siddiqui. We would like to see the case investigated by UN sanctioned body and then tried in International court that will have the confidence of all parties involved.

BBC reports, Aafia Siddiqui is the youngest of three children of a British-trained doctor.

Her brother is an architect based in Houston, while Fauzia is a neurologist who used to work at Mount Sinai hospital in New York.

Aafia Siddiqui went to school in Karachi and graduated with a biology degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.

In 2004 then-FBI director Robert Mueller announced at a press conference that Aafia Siddiqui was wanted for questioning.

She was later named as part of an alleged al-Qaeda diamond smuggling operation in Liberia.

Publications such as Newsweek quoted the FBI as saying this was to finance al-Qaeda's biological and chemical weapons programme.

Read full story
ANAA's Press Release

ANAA Urges concerned citizens to condemns the expulsion of Ahmedi Medical Students in Pakistan

Dear ANAA Members,

Last week 23 Medical students belonging to Ahmedi faith were expelled from Medical college in Pakistan.

Please help disseminate the information by forwarding this email to relevant people/groups.

ANAA urge all to write a letter to:

1. Ambassador of Pakistan in USA, His Excellency Mr. Husain Haqqani ambassador@embassyofpakistanusa.org

urging him to contact the relevant authorities in Pakistan and appraise us on the status of the students and ensure that proper investigation is carried out.

Regards

Zaffar Iqbal, MD
ANAA President

ANAA's letter to the Ambassador:

10th June 2008

To,

The Ambassador of Pakistan to the USA
3517 International Court, NW
Washington DC, 20008
Phone: 202-243-6500

His Excellency Mr. Husain Haqqani,

It has come to ANAA's attention that 23 students belonging to Ahmedi faith have been expelled from Punjab Medical College. Few days before expulsions it was alleged that they were preaching their faith.

BBC reported that Islami Jamiat-e-tulba students surrounded the Principal's offices and raised slogans against the Ahmedi students. List of 23 Ahmedi students, expelled from the college, was then released by the college administration. The same day, a mob of about 300 college students also barged into Ahmedis students' rooms, beat them and threw their luggage out of their rooms.

Ahmedis, like other minorities, have been persecuted in Pakistan using discriminatory laws. They have faced hostile environments in Pakistan where they have been mascaraed at their religious places (click here for firing on Ahmedi Mosque).

ANAA takes a strong stand supporting Ahmedi students and demands that:

1. Students should be immediately re-instated.

2. Incident should be properly investigated and perpetrators identified and punished so that all minorities feel safe in the university.

ANAA hopes that your excellency will contact the relevant authorities in Pakistan and appraise our organization on status of the students and ensure that proper investigation is carried out.

We look forward to hearing from you about this tragic incident.


Regards

Zaffar Iqbal, MD
President ANAA

For Details click here

ANAA is US based, registered non-profit advocacy group focused on restoration of human rights in Pakistan. It is a totally volunteer run grass root organization. It is the pioneer group amongst the diaspora engaged in increasing awareness for civil struggle in Pakistan. ANAA believes in participatory politics as a basic human right in Pakistan. ANAA supports independent judiciary and freedom of media in Pakistan

ANAA Condemns the Expulsion of Ahmedi Medical Students in Pakistan

June 5, 2008: Punjab Medical College expelled 23 students belonging to Ahmedi faith. Few days before expulsions it was alleged that they were preaching their faith.

BBC reported that Islami Jamiat-e-tulba students surrounded the Principal's offices and raised slogans against the Ahmedi students. List of 23 Ahmedi students, rusticated from the college, was then released by the college administration. The same day, a mob of about 300 college students also barged into Ahmedis students’ rooms, beat them and threw their luggage out of their rooms.

Ahmedis, like other minorities, have been persecuted in Pakistan using discriminatory laws. They have faced hostile environments in Pakistan where they have been mascaraed at their religious places (click here for firing on Ahmedi Mosque).

ANAA takes a strong stand supporting Ahmedi students and demands that:

1. Students should be immediately re-instated.

2. Incident should be properly investigated and perpetrators identified and punished so that all minorities feel safe in the university.

For Details click here

Punjab Medical College Expels 23 Ahmedi Students

June 5, 2008: Punjab Medical College expelled 23 students belonging to Ahmedi faith. Few days before expulsions it was alleged that they were preaching their faith.

BBC reported that Islami Jamiat-e-tulba students surrounded the principal's offices and raised slogans against the Ahmedi students. List of 23 Ahmedi students, rusticated from the college, was then released by the college administration. The same day, a mob of about 300 college students also barged into Ahmedis students’ rooms, beat them and threw their luggage out of their rooms.

Ahmedis, like other minorities, have been persecuted in Pakistan using discriminatory laws. They have faced hostile environments in Pakistan where they have been mascaraed at their religious places (click here for firing on Ahmedi Mosque).

ANAA takes a strong stand supporting Ahmedi students and demands that:

1. Students should be immediately re-instated.

2. Incident should be properly investigated and perpetrators identified and punished so that all minorities feel safe in the university.

Brief History of Ahmedi community click here

List of Ahmedis persecuted in Pakistan click here

Amnesty on Religious Freedom in Pakistan click here

2006: US state Department on Religious Freedom in Pakistan click here

News Reports:

BBC Coverage of the incident in Urdu click here
8th June: Further details of the incident leading to Ahmedi students expulsion: Daily Times
6th June 2008: DAWN, Daily Times