|
|
|
|
 |
 |
   |
city
calling The
decision that affected a thousand court cases
The
way we were
Phone
calls flew across faulty telephone lines in Karachi on the evening of
November 3, as people called each other to confirm whether they were the
only ones watching bland blue screens on their televisions, or if rumours of
sweeping media bans in Pakistan were true. Their
fears were confirmed within hours. The state owned television channel, the
only Pakistani and news channel allowed to remain on air soon broke the news
of General Pervez Musharraf imposing Within
a week, Karachi saw several, subtle changes. But amongst all the changes,
perhaps what was most disconcerting for the people of Karachi, a majority of
whom are constantly in touch with national and international news, was the
fact that the local television channels they fall back on when looking for
news and analysis were taken off air. This move, according the new powers
granted to PEMRA was among other reasons, taken in the interest of avoiding
incitement of hatred, or actions "prejudicial to maintenance of law and
order." One of
the Musharraf government's greatest achievements has been the media boom
following General Musharraf's take over as head of state in 1999. It must be
acknowledged that never before in Pakistan has the electronic and print
media been given such a free hand to flourish; creating job opportunities
and freedom of expression, a concept once alien to the land of the pure.
However, with the passing of a single ordinance, all the General's good work
and standing has come undone. For
Karachiites though, no ordinance is too high a mountain to climb. As the
rest of the country turns to any other media that can enlighten them, so do
Karachiites. Home to
people from across Pakistan, the city also boasts of the highest literacy
rate in the country. It is hence a blessing that newspapers are still in
circulation, providing Karachiites with the news and information that they
have been denied otherwise.
"What
I find most extraordinary about this emergency," continues Habib,
"is that the public, people like me, have not taken to the streets to
protest this supra-constitutional move yet." While
Habib might be secure in the knowledge he has so far been able to receive
thanks to the newspaper he can rely on being delivered to his home every
morning, the government has expanded the media crackdown this time around to
the press as well. The Press Registration Ordinance, 2002, has been amended
to provide District Coordination Officers with the authority to suspend
declaration of any newspaper for 30 days without a notice in case it is felt
that the ordinance has been violated in any manner. Following
the emergency, Awam, an Urdu daily took out a supplement which had updates
on any developments taking place within the country. On November 5, the Awam
office was surrounded and the printing press briefly seized by the police.
"This was all done on the suspicion that we were going to publish a
supplement," commented Nazeer Laghari, Editor Awam. Wazir
Ahmed sits in his art supply store, watching the only channel his cable now
allows him to receive. "I know that there is an emergency imposition in
the country, and I know that it can't mean anything good if information is
being forced away from us, but I still can read the newspaper, and that is a
blessing." Newspaper
hawkers in Karachi have reported that sales have doubled since the media
blackouts, and it seems as though the clock has turned 20 years back, when
the only way anyone could hope to find news that had not gone through layers
of sanitization, was in the local newspapers. "I
heard there is something like a martial-law in the country, but I don't know
what else is going on," says a slightly harassed looking driver running
errands, "Kashish and KTN have been taken off air, and I don't know how
to read." The
once popular dish antennas have made a dramatic comeback on Karachi
rooftops. After cable transmissions had been taken off air, or restricted,
more and more people have invested in dish antennas and decoders. The demand
for dish antennas and decoders has gone up by over a 100 per cent, while the
price of these has hiked up by almost 83 per cent. Khizer, 21, says, "I
still do not oppose what has happened, I still think if this is going to
help our country it is okay, but blacking out of media is not a problem for
someone like me, we're getting a decoder soon, and while we don't have that,
I can always log onto the internet and get my news." News
channels that have been banned from going on air have also provided links to
online streaming on their websites. Emails with updates and comments are
constantly making the rounds, and one can even subscribe to the Emergency
Telegraph, a free publication circulated through email with information
which the moderators hope will "fill the vacuum created by the media
blackout in Pakistan." Bahar,
who makes his living selling paan out of a khokha he has erected in a busy
shopping area, was of the opinion that imposing emergency is a good idea. He
has been following the news on the state channel, and is happy to comment
that, "this emergency means that the government will fight all the
enemies head-on, it is all their responsibility now." Dr
Khempar, who owns a convenience store, is disappointed as according to him,
"our international image has been wrecked, we are not getting our
channels, but all these other countries are, what does that say about
Pakistan to the world?" Dr
Khempar too, like so many others in Karachi is turning to his newspaper to
get the news. Hawkers have reported that even if they don't buy it, many
pedestrians make a point of stopping and checking the headlines now. "I
don't really care about the media bans, as I am still receiving my Indian
channels, and don't have to miss any of my favourite shows," remarks
one housewife, but she looks graver as she says, "it is always the
supposedly democratic parties who encourage a non-democratic government
setup, and it is always them again who protest when things don't go their
way, if I don't have television news and analysis to count on, and am not
computer literate, I still have my newspaper, and I still know what is going
on." Once
again, though, information is being blocked at the source. On November 7,
police mobiles patrolled the electronics market in Saddar, following which
they forced the under a dozen shops selling dish antennas to shut down.
According to SP of the area, the reason behind this was the fact that
certain items cannot be sold under the Customs Act, without clearance by the
concerned authorities. Slightly
less concerned is Mubarak, who hails from Buneer, a town adjacent to Swat,
"I am worried for my family," he says, "but what difference
is this emergency making to me? I was trying to make enough money to support
my family back home before it, and that is what I'm doing now, only it will
be harder now, what with continuously escalating prices." There
are still more people tuning into their radios after years for news. While
most stations play it safe and musical, some continue to air their hourly
news, while one channel has been completely taken off air due to its
independent news reporting. There
is still the BBC Urdu service though, providing reliable information to all
who will tune in. Interestingly enough, the illegal FM channels run by
religious extremists have been allowed to remain on air as well. At this
point in time, Karachiites appear more frustrated than ever. They were
promised free, fair and transparent elections, but in the wake of events
leading to the promised elections, they have been denied more than they
hoped to gain. Their most basic rights have been snatched away, and whether
they can fully comprehend what this means now, they do realize that it is
indeed happening, as they lose the right to access free, fair, and
transparent information. The decision that affected a thousand court cases As hundreds of people seek justice outside deserted city courts, they are ignorant of the injustice done to them through the imposition of emergency and the PCO. By
Sabeen Jamil Anxiety
is apparent from Amma Nazira' face as she sits under a tree at the city
courts. As she tells Amjad,
28, is being tried for possessing a bike without license and was As
General Musharraf imposes emergency and removes Chief Justice Iftikhar
Chaudhry, the lawyers go for a countrywide strike and boycot courts to
safeguard independence of the judiciary. Since then,
Though
Salma backs the lawyers movement, she is equally concerned about the future
of this ongoing battle between the judiciary and the government. She has
spent almost 50000 rupees on her husband's case and now when the lawyer
tells her that the case has reached a decisive point, she doesn't want it
stuck in court for a long time. "My prime concern right now is to get
my husband back. He hasn't been at home for four years and I can't go on
without him anymore." Unlike Salma, Waris is
more aware of the present scenario, "I think never in any
country has the Supreme Court been disrespected by a head of the state. When
head of the state himself doesn't respect the SC, no one in the country will
rescpect the law and the judiciary," Waris says sadly. Lawyers
do realize the ordeal people are going through but regard their movement as
necessary for the good of the people in future. "The government wants
the judiciary to work according to their wish and we will not allow that to
happen, because if in a country the judiciary works the way government wants
it to instead of how it is supposed to,
the country can never progress," says Advocate Sajjad Hassan,
stressing on the point earlier made by Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) that the
ongoing lawyers' movement is a struggle, "to secure the future of the
country," which will last till the restoration of constitutional
rights. – Photos by Zahid Rahman
hyderabad blues Hyderabad in a state of emergency The recent imposition of emergency has spread its effects far and wide across Pakistan. Kolachi gathers views of the Hyderabad community and interior Sindh in the aftermath of the most recent measure taken by the government By Adeel Pathan On
November 3, 2007, as Hyderabad watched events take place in a country
undergoing major transitions, suddenly, most channels were taken off their
cable networks, as they were in other parts of the country. What is
an emergency? A majority of the citizens wonder, as the television channels
that served to With
this fresh development in Pakistan, which has been in a state of flux since
early 2007, it was heartening to note that the imposition of emergency was
not welcomed by most Pakistanis. Even staunch supporters of General
Musharraf have not celebrated this move as they normally would with any
other decision that he takes. Saif, a
government employee questions whether this emergency would improve his life
in any way and be a solution to his problems battling inflation and
educating his three school-going children. But
there are thousands of people in Hyderabad as in other cities and towns of
the country who are surprised to see the current situation of the country;
where President Musharraf, not in his capacity of President but that of
Chief of Army Staff has proclaimed emergency in the country to meet existing
challenges such as terrorism.
The
common man was not directly affected because of the emergency but everybody
seemed to be in a state of emergency of their own, discussing this matter at
private meetings and marriage ceremonies as all other public ceremonies have
been banned. Several
tiers of the government from the national to provincial assembly and chief
ministers to ministers as well as advisers are still working and performing
their jobs, with renewed licenses being issued to the police to control any
public agitation. Saheef,
who works in a telecommunications company is of the opinion that blocking TV
channels is not a feasible method to improve lives of citizens, in fact
their lives are further being thrown into confusion with the most recent
political situation in the country. The
state of affairs across interior Sindh is similar to those in Hyderabad. The
people in these districts are also annoyed and disturbed due to the state of
emergency. With no television channels to rely on for information they are
opting for newspapers in large numbers. Some areas and towns of Sindh
including Hyderabad observed partial strike against the crackdown launched
soon after the declaration of emergency.
The police, at some instances employed brute force to arrest
opposition leaders, activists and lawyers from interior Sindh districts. Nazir
Siyal, a journalist based in Larkana, tells Kolachi that, "70 to 80 per
cent people oppose the emergency, and feel that this will be the cause of a
drastic change in the current political setup." He said
that in the absence of independent television channels, most literate people
have once more turned to newspapers to keep abreast of national news. Asked
whether the journalist community feels a sense of insecurity, he said,
"we are not afraid, but disturbed, keeping in view the existing
situation of the country," and added that lawyers and journalists are
being harassed after imposition of emergency. The
leadership of political parties has been detained under Maintenance of
Public Order (MPO) therefore the police is conducting raids at the houses of
workers and activists of different opposition parties. A local
political activist says, "It's ironic that the present government,
despite ruling the country for more than eight years failed to achieve
desired and announced targets and put the blame on themselves eventually.
Whatever the government is doing is creating a bad image of the country
abroad and at home as well and the way human rights are being violated gives
a clear message that Pakistan is far from achieving a transition to
democracy." Journalists
of Sindh have always been a vibrant lot, spunky enough to raise their voices
against what they feel is wrong, and they didn't stop even after the
imposition of emergency. Protest meetings have been held in major press
clubs and journalist unions, as well as those part of the electronic media
have expressed their anger against the state of emergency and black out of
channels. Heavy
contingents of police besieged press clubs including the Hyderabad Press
Club forcing newsmen to stage
protests inside the press club where a meeting also took place in which it
was decided that coverage of government events will be boycotted. Farhan
Afandi, a journalist associated with a television channel and Secretary of
the Hyderabad Union of Journalists said that the government curbs on the
media should be withdrawn immediately as these are worsening the situation
in the country. "However,"
he said, "journalists are ready to make any and every sacrifice and
will continue to write the truth in larger interest of the country and will
not violate professional norms." The
life of ordinary citizens may not have changed but they feel their lives
have been disturbed and even the business community is feeling the crunch
due to the recent imposition of emergency. According
to Adnan, a shopkeeper, the situation is bad for business as due to
uncertainty in the country; demand for most things, except for wedding
related items has gone down. There
is another faction of people who have been severely affected by the
emergency and its many impacts. World famous cases such as that of Mannu
Bheel, whose family members have still not been recovered despite the
passage of almost ten years, and Dua, who had been kidnapped at three days,
remain suspended. These cases were taken up by the apex court headed by
Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudry, and now seem a lost cause as suo
motto notices are not allowed during the
emergency. The
government should not only restore the transmission of electronic channels
to curb the growing resentment among the general public and civil society,
but take measures to restore the confidence of the common man, who is not
happy with the overall situation but rendered helpless as there is no one to
lead them to a solution. The
only hope of people lies with political parties and lawyers. The legal
fraternity can actually give new direction to the political parties as they
had during the campaign for reinstatement
of CJP Iftikhar Chaudry. The government should realize that Pakistanis don't
just suffer at the hands of inflation and extremists, but also because of
the extremism practiced by those in power. --Photos
by Mohammed
Rehan The way we were Would Shakespeare by any other name still be Shakespeare? By Kaleem Omar There
are numerous theories about who Shakespeare was and who wrote his plays. My
own favourite theory is one that was put forward by the writer of a letter
to the editor of a Karachi evening newspaper back in the 1960s. According to
the letter writer, Shakespeare was actually (wait for it) a man named Sheikh
Peer, who was the owner of a butcher's shop in Bombay in the sixteenth
century. When his business nosedived, he immigrated to England, anglicised
his name to Shakespeare and took to writing plays, in the process producing
some of the world's greatest literary masterpieces. It's as good a theory as
any - even if it is a more improbable one than most. But was
Shakespeare really Shakespeare? Or was he Shakspeare, Shakespear or
Shakspere? The general reader, unaware of the fact that Shakspeare and
Shakespear still have their champions, may imagine that the controversy has
narrowed down to a determination of the relative merits of Shakespeare and
Shakspere. All four of these forms are still used, though the first two are
obsolescent and there will be few to mourn their departure - all the more so
in an age where obsolescence has become a sort of 12-letter four-letter
word, if you get my drift. But
what difference does it make how we spell the name? My answer to this
question would be: a great deal of difference indeed. We may spell Lyly,
Featherstone-Hoare (pronounced Fanshaw), Tony Blair (Blare?) and other names
as we please, but there will be no peace in literary realms so long as a
single critic or scholar of repute persists in employing any variation in
the name of the world's greatest poet and dramatist. And lest people should
think that this is an elitist issue, it needs to be remembered that in
Shakespeare's own day, even butchers, bakers and candlestick-makers would
often boast that they could "quote the Bard by the yard." After
all, Shakespeare was not a member of the nobility; he was the son of a
tradesman and farmer. Born in Stratford-on-Avon, he was educated at the
local grammar school, not some fancy school for the children of the
aristocracy. In 1584 he was
forced to leave Stratford, possibly for poaching offences, but there is no
certainty as to where he went or how he was occupied during the next eight
years. All we know is that at some time during that period he went to London and began to
work in the theatre, first as an actor for a pittance of a wage and then as
a playwright. Even as a playwright, however, he initially earned very
little. All of
which is to say that Shakespeare was very much a man of the people, not some
toff who dabbled in literature. So the question of how his name should be
spelt is not an elitist question at all. Rather, it is very much a populist
question. The
dates of the writing and earliest productions of Shakespeare's plays are
often in doubt. It is believed, however, that "The Contention of York
and Lancaster" (later to become known as Parts 2 and 3 of "Henry
VI") appeared in 1591, and was followed the next year by "Henry
VI," Part I. From mid-1592 until 1594 the London theatres were closed
for many months, and it has been suggested that he travelled in Europe
during this period. If so, his time abroad did not prevent him from writing,
for the poem "Venus and Adonis" appeared in 1593, and the plays
"Richard III" and "The Comedy of Errors" in the same
year. When the theatres reopened, he was soon established as a member of a
theatrical company known as the Lord Chamberlain's Men. The rest, as they
say, is history. Today
it would be folly to consider the form Shakspere as a dangerous rival of the
vastly more popular Shakespeare. With due respect to the few scholars who
still advocate its use as the poet's spelling of his own name, one can only
repeat that there are more trustworthy guides at hand than the five wretched
scrawls which a reluctant world is constrained to accept as the autographs
of its greatest poet. The
champions of Shakespeare have repeatedly cited the precedents for that form;
they have dwelt on the fact that none previous to 1780 and few since then
have cast their decision for Shakspere; they have emphasised the futility of
seeking to change the authoritative spelling upon the meager evidence of
five signatures which the Shakspereites themselves admit they cannot read. Some
based their contention for Shakspere mainly upon the Florio Montaigne
autograph, which is now generally rejected as spurious; others feel certain
of the spelling of only one of the five genuine signatures. Yet some
scholars who usually submit matters in dispute to the closest scrutiny and
severest tests accept the shorter spelling.
Of
course, none will deny that it is far more important to study and to seek to
appreciate the greatness of Shakespeare's literary utterance than to wrangle
(albeit good-naturedly) over the e's and a's in his name. At the same time,
however, this lack of uniformity in the matter is discreditable to the world
of letters. So any effort to correct this condition cannot be wholly in
vain. When
Sidney Lee published his "Life of William Shakespeare" in 1898 he
cited as the first recorded holder of the surname a certain John Shakespeare
who in 1279 was living at Freyndon. In his revised edition (1905) Lee
mentioned a William Shakespeare or "Shakspere" who was convicted
of robbery and hanged in 1248. The
latter, by the lucky accident of his name and by virtue of his crime, thus
immortalised himself and takes precedence over the now supplanted John of a
generation later. As a matter of fact, John is not even second. Lionel
Creswell, in his "Notes and Queries", has called attention to a
Simon Sakesper in Wantham in 1250, and C. C. Stopes, in her
"Shakespeare's Family" (1901), found a Simon Shakespeye in 1260, a
Geoffrey Shakespeare in 1268 and a Simon Sakesper in 1278 (not to be
confused with Creswell's Simon Sakesper). Stopes
mentioned sundry other Shakesperes and Shakespeares (as yet, no Shaksperes)
during the fourteenth century. The first Warwickshire holder of the name was
a Thomas Shakespere who in 1359 was a fugitive felon, apparently no more
given to virtue than the original William. John
Louis Haney, in his study of the orthography of the name of William
Shakespeare (1906), notes that during the fifteenth century the family
flourished widely. The name occurs frequently in the Register of the Guild
of St. Anne at Knowle. Between 1457-1486 it is found eight times on the
Register, thrice as Shakespere, once each as Schakespeire, Chacsper,
Shakespeyre, Schakspere and Shakspere.Other variations found elsewhere
during that century are Shakespeyr, Shakesper and Schakesper. In the
sixteenth century we find more frequent record of the Warwickshire family
from which the poet probably sprang. The prevailing forms of the name are
Shakespeare and Shakespere, with an occasional Shakspere. The only
variations of interest previous to 1560 are Shakespeer, Shakyspere and
Schakespeir. The
poet's father figured frequently in the Stratford registers and in many
spellings, among other Shakyspere, Shakspeyre, Shaksper, Shaxpeare,
Shaxspere, Shakesper, Shaxbere and Shackespeere. It would be useless to
multiply examples of Elizabethan carelessness in the spelling of proper
names. At
first sight few things seem more obvious than the origin of the name
Shakespeare which was borne by the greatest dramatist in the English
language and by no one of any importance either before or since (though
there was a Dorothy Shakespeare who owned a bookshop in Paris in the 1920s
and was a friend of Ezra Pound, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and other
members of the "Lost Generation" crowd). Yet
scholars have given much thought to the orthography of the name Shakespeare
in their vain attempts to avoid the obvious. John
Hunter, in his "Prolusions Genealogical on the Family of
Shakespeare" (1844), summarised the results of the earlier attempts to
arrive at the origin of the name and quoted the well-known passage from
Camden's "Remains" (1605): "Some are named for what they
commonly carried, as Palmer, that is, Pilgrime, for that they carried palme
when they returned from Hierusalem; Long-sword, Broad-speare, Fortescu, that
is, Strong-shield, and in some respect, Break-speare, Shake-speare,
Shot-bolt, Wagstaffe." So now you know.
By
Nosheen Sabeeh Rizwan
Ansar is one of the young, hardworking cable guys at Askari Apartments 1, in
Clifton. He's been living in Karachi for almost 20 years and has been
working for about nine years. He's a decent man who's trying to complete his
education, so he can specialize in banking and get a job in the banking
sector. Kolachi decided to ask this man, how it is working while acquiring a decent education and how the
current political situation of the county affects his job. Kolachi:
When did you come to Karachi? RA:
I've been living in Karachi for approximately 20 years. Kolachi:
Where did you live before coming to Karachi? RA: I
used to live in Gujarat, Punjab. Kolachi:
Why did you become a cable guy? RA: It
wasn't by choice that I became one. Since I wasn't very educated it seemed
like a good option. I figured I wouldn't need too much experience and also,
I can study with the flexibility of the job. Kolachi:
Why did you come to Karachi? RA: I
wanted to get a decent education and earn my livelihood. And Karachi is the
most advanced city of Pakistan. Anyone who wants to earn money or get an
education comes here. For rural people like us, this is the best place. Kolachi:
What are you studying? RA: I'm
just about done with my B.Com. I want to specialize in banking so I can get
a job in the banking sector in the future. Kolachi:
Since how many years have you been working as a cable guy? RA:
It's been approximately nine years now. Kolachi:
How has Karachi changed over the years? RA: The
population has increased tremendously. There's too much traffic on the
roads. Life is very busy here. It's very fast paced. It's hard to keep up.
But we are advancing gradually. Technology is advancing, infrastructure has
improved, and more job opportunities are available. Kolachi:
Do you think it has changed for the better? RA:
Yes, it has. With the world advancing, we too are slowly trying to achieve a
standard in the world and for Pakistan; Karachi is that place where it all
happens. Kolachi:
Would you want to live anywhere else? RA: It
doesn't matter really. I'm living here because if I don't live here, where
else would I live? Right now
Karachi is the best option I have. I'm studying so I can make a better
future for myself. I also have a respectable job for the moment. I'm fond of
Karachi and if given the option I would either live here or head back to my
village. I still miss it immensely but I don't have a choice. But I wouldn't
want to live anywhere else. I have become accustomed to the life here and am
quite content with it. Kolachi:
With the ban on television channels, is it difficult for you to deal with
your customers? RA:
it's not difficult to tell them why because they all know that the orders
are from the government and newspapers print all this information everyday
so they're all well aware but sometimes are unreasonable. Kolachi:
Has the ban affected your business in any way? RA:
Yes, because even though people know that the government has banned the
channels, we're suffering a big loss as people have refused to pay. They say
that more than half the channels are closed so we won't pay. For example,
Aaj is a news channel plus an entertainment channel but we can't open it
since the government has banned it so people are not happy with that. Kolachi:
How do you think people are getting the news? RA:
Through newspapers and internet mostly. Geo's website is updated regularly
so people can read and watch the headlines online. Kolachi:
With the ban on channels, the satellite dish is heavy in demand. Do you
think it will affect your business? RA:
Lots of people quickly bought the dish but now the government has also
banned it. Some people still might be able to purchase it but the majority
won't be able to since it's not available easily in the market. Their price
has shot up, so not everyone can afford it. Kolachi:
The president has imposed emergency on the country.
Do you think it's a good idea? RA: I
don't think he should've closed the channels as lots of people are still
unaware of the political conditions in the country. However, I'm happy with
the decision otherwise. I think it was a good idea to stop the wrong kinds
of people entering the city and brainwashing the young uneducated population
and turning them against the government and making them commit mass murders. Kolachi:
Are you content with your job and life? RA:
Yes, I am. In a few years, I'll be done with my education and I can work in
a bank and iimprove my standard of living. As for the present, I think its
okay. I have a good opportunity to work, so I'm content. Kolachi:
Do you ever feel like going back to Punjab? RA:
Yes. I love that place but it doesn't have too many options. I can't do
anything there. Everything is here, in Karachi, so I'm also here. Kolachi:
Do you earn enough to make ends meet? RA: I
don't earn a lot but its okay. That is the reason I'm studying; so I can
have a better future for myself and my family. People
like Rizwan have faith in those responsible for their rights and safety, and
look forward to a even better life achieved through hard work. At the same
time, they can logically discern between a good decision and a bad one.
Rizwan understands what works for and against the future he is trying to
build, and this awareness makes him a true Karachi character. --Photo by the writer
|
|
emergency through out the country, and
advised viewers to stay tuned to view the man of the hour addressing a
crisis struck nation.
"It
does not matter that news channels have been taken off air," remarks
Habib, 72, "we will watch what news we can on PTV, and turn to the
newspapers for what the channel 'missed'."
Kolachi about her daughter's upcoming wedding, she
can't help but let tears roll down her cheeks, with lawyers having boycotted
court proceedings in protest against General Musharraf's imposed emergency
and the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) since a week, Amma Nazira
fears that her imprisoned son now won't be the part of the wedding
celebrations starting next month.
expected to
be released this week but the imposition of emergency has made the status of
his case uncertain,"I don't know what emergency is. The only thing I
know is that it is costing me my son." Nazira doesn't know much about
the cause of the lawyers' strike as she has stopped watching television
since private channels were banned. However she feels strongly against the E
word, "if it has been imposed by Musharraf, then it cant be
right," comments a bitter Amma Nazira. She has been spending her days
at the city courts since the imposition of emergency, hoping the government
and lawyers can come to a consensus which will allow her to meet Amjad
again. If otherwise, she displays an unforgiven attitude towards the
government saying that "a government that can't provide justice to it's
public is useless and I don't want such a government."
throngs of people wait
everyday in vain outside the courts for their hearings to begin. Ironically,
a majority of them are completely ignorant of the concept of the emergency,
and PCO and have no idea why lawyers are on strike. As private channels are
banned and the government owned PTV remains the only source of information,
public in Karachi is oblivious to the violation of their basic human rights.
Salma,
in her 30s, works as a housemaid. She comes all the way from Lyari to the
city courts for
enlighten them about current issues have been blocked by
those in control. This move was just part of a situation, dubbed an
'emergency' under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO).
The
people of Pakistan are aware of the term emergency as they have repeatedly
gone through tough times in short intervals, and in recent times this term
has became very popular, as after every terrorist incident, the government
declares emergency, especially in tribal areas.
