Pakistani socialst leader freed

Submitted by Anon on 28 June, 2007 - 12:31

Farooq Tariq, general secretary of the socialist group Labour Party of Pakistan, has been released from prison following his detention without charge by Pakistani security forces. Released on 19 June after a 16-day detention, Tariq describes his imprisonment as “one the of worst jail experiences I’ve had during my 30 years of political activism”.

Tariq is also quick to point out that it was massive international pressure, not the benevolence of the government, which led to his release.

The repression of over 600 anti-Musharraf activists began on 4 June, when police picked up activists from their homes, refusing to detail charges. Some were told they’d be free by the evening, and at the most, after three days.

The movement had started on 9 March when General Musharraf tried unsuccessfully to force the chief justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudry to resign. This triggered an 80,000 strong mass movement advocating the independence of the judiciary. Political parties joined the movement. It was to stop the participation of the political activists that the military regime decided to round up over 600 political activists from different parts of Punjab.

In a statement on the Labour Party of Pakistan website, Farooq Tariq describes the underhand, illegal nature by which activists were repressed: “I was like a kidnapped person, not by private gangs, but state gangsters. The place where I was kept belonged to an elected councillor of the ruling party the Muslim League. I protested again and again at being kept in a private place instead of a police station. But the two armed men told me that it was an order by fromhigh ups and they had to obey it. The two police officers who came to collect me late at night told me that our senior police officers are very angry with you because of your petition in the court.”

This isn’t an uncommon practice — mainstream political parties refused to question the tactics of police repression, and workers often cannot fight it out through the courts.

Tariq also details the appalling conditions, from overheated cells, to a complete refusal to provide basic hygiene, and complete isolation from friends, lawyers and comrades. The only way to demand water was to go on hunger strike. A 52 year old political activist died after being refused proper medical attention, sparking a national outcry. Larger protests and solidarity actions forced the government to back down, releasing all prisoners. Tariq was the last.

For more information about Farooq Tariq’s imprisonment, the actions of the Musharraf government and the socialist resistance to them, visit www.laborpakistan.org

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