Today, it is the fact that Pakistan needs a drastic change to bring the country back on track and to realize those dreams which led the creation of Pakistan. Our nation had been, due to its own repeated mistakes, very unfortunate over the last six decades. If looked from the above, then Pakistan seems to be an estate of some blessed, or cursed, families who continue to rule the masses by their turn. It was understood and no one dared to challenge the unwritten rule that after Z. A, Bhutto, his daughter will ‘rule’ the nation. After the murder of Benazir Bhutto, it would be his husband taking care of the national matters while senior and brilliant politicians like Aitzaz Ahsan would sit in last rows. And, When Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would finish his education, he would be a source of inspiration for seasoned and learnt politicians of Pakistan Peoples Party.

On the other hands, Sharif brothers had the monopoly on the Pakistan Muslim League. Not a single politician from the lines of PML could dare to think that he could be the head-of-the-state. It was quietly understood, and secretly agreed upon that after one Sharif, there would be the other Sharif who would lead the nation. It seemed that ordinary citizens are born only to be ruled and ‘subject’ of Bhutto-Sharif kingdom until Imran Khan emerged as a third political force in Pakistani political arena. Now Khan is looked upon as the final resort, and as the last hope.

Hassan Nisar, a leading columnist, in his column published in Daily Jang on Monday, January 16, 2012, advises Imran Khan to be careful in the way ahead. Hassan Nisar highlighted the fact that the economic and institutional situation of Pakistan is really in a mess. On the other hand, however, people have great expectation out of Imran Khan. It will be highly illogical to expect any miracle over night, if Imran Khan comes in a position to run the affairs of the state. Thus, the responsibility lies on the shoulders of Khan, that how he leads and educates the masses who are eagerly waiting for some good news.

Hassan Nisar’s column, in Urdu, can be found at following link; http://ejang.jang.com.pk/pic.asp?npic=01-16-2012/Lahore/images/02_01.gif

Please note, the names on the signatories list will be updated as more endorsements are coming in.

PRESS RELEASE

Civil society terms “memogate” scandal an attempt to thwart democracy; Says threatening the representative system tantamount to attack on sovereignty of people.

December 17, 2011

We, the representatives of the Civil Society including non-governmental organisations, labour organisations, academia, women’s rights bodies, and media persons express deep concern over the current political situation in the country where a crisis is being manufactured on frivolous grounds, and is being referred as the so-called “memogate”. This has the potential of subverting democratically elected Parliament and the Constitution.

It is time all conspirators against democracy and the sovereignty of the people be called to account. Sovereignty belongs to the people who have agreed to exercise it through their representatives in a federal, parliamentary, and a democratic system. Any attempt at arbitrarily altering this arrangement is tantamount to an attack on the sovereignty of the people. Various institutions of the state are supposed to function within their defined constitutional parameters and complement each other but they seem to be working at cross-purposes, to the determent of public interest.

We emphasise that the role of political parties and political leaders is to represent their constituents’ interests and arrive at negotiated agreements to differences in agreed political forums.

The role of state’s security organizations is to serve the people through stipulated constitutional arrangements, under the command of the executive, and not to define what is or is not in the national interest.

The role of the judiciary is to protect the rights of the citizens from arbitrary abuse of executive power, and not to itself become a source of arbitrary executive power.

The role of the mass media is to help citizens hold powerful interests groups within and outside the state to promote their legitimate interests and hold violators of rights accountable, and not to itself act as an unaccountable interest group.

In our opinion, parliament is the appropriate forum to discuss and investigate this issue and come up with findings.

We believe that any attack on the sovereignty of the people will be unjust. It will necessarily lead to conflict and must be resisted.

We appeal to the people of Pakistan to stand united and firm in support of democracy and to resist all attempts aimed at its subversion. The people of Pakistan have made great many sacrifices for the cause of democracy and they should not let any vested interests trample their right to have a democratic and an elected representative system run the country.

Undersigned (in alphabetical order by first name)

1. Abdulrahman Rafiq, Founder & Operations Coordinator http://SARelief.com
2. Abrar Qazi, Awami President Awami Jamhori Party
3. Adam Malik, Human Rights Activist
4. Adnan Rehmat, Executive Director Intermedia
5. Aisha Gazdar, documentary filmmaker
6. Ali Asghar Khan, Aman Ittehad Pakistan
7. Ali Raza, Shirkat Gah
8. Amir Aziz Syed, businessman
9. Anis Haroon, Women Action Forum
10. Arif Hasan, Architect, Urban Planner,
11. Arshad Mehmood, Executive Director Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child
12. Arshid Mirza, Baidarie Sialkot
13. Asad Mufty columnist daily Jang.
14. Asad Rahman, Sungi Foundation
15. Asad Sayeed, Director, Collective for Social Science Research, Karachi
16. Ayesha Tammy Haq, Journalist
17. Aziz Abbasi, President Watan Dost mazdoor feder
18. B. M Kutty, Secretary, Pakistan Peace Coalition
19. Babar Ayaz, journalist
20. Beena Sarwar, Independent Journalist
21. Bushra Khaliq,
22. Danial Noorani, social worker
23. Dr Haroon Ahmed, President Pakistan Mental Health Association
24. Dr. Abid Qayoum Suleri, Executive Director Sustainable Development Policy Institute
25. Dr. Aly Ercelan, Senior Development Economist
26. Dr. Arif Azad, Development Consultant and Campaigner
27. Dr. Badar Siddiqui, Ex-President, Pakistan Medical Association,
28. Dr. Jaffar Ahmed, Irtiqa Institute of Social Science,
29. Dr. Kaisar Bengali, Senior Economist
30. Dr. Manzoor Ahmed AwanDirector Program OperationsSungi Development Foundation
31. Dr. Mohammad Taqi, Columnist/Physician
32. Dr. Pervez Tahir, Economist
33. Dr. Taimur Rahman, Laal
34. Faiza Haswary, Lecturer, Hameed Law College, Karachi
35. Farooq Tariq, Spokesperson, Labor Party Pakistan
36. Fatima Zafar, National Focal Point, Youth Peer Education Network Multan
37. Fauzia Viqar, Shirkat Gah
38. Ghulam Fatima, Executive Member BLLF,
39. Haider Nizamani, Human Rights Activist
40. Haris Gazdar, Independent Economist
41. Harris Khalique, Development Consultant,
42. Hassam Qadir Shah, Lawyer
43. Hoori Noorani, Publisher
44. Human Fouladi, Aman Ittehad Balochistan
45. Ibrahim Malick, Technologist, Social Entrepreneur
46. Idrees Kamal, Idrees Kamal Coordinator Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network
47. Iqbal Alavi and Friends of Irtiqa and National Council of Academics
48. Iqbal Tareen
49. Irfan Ali, Aman Ittehad, Balochistan
50. Irfan Mufti, South Asia Partnership -Pakistan
51. Ishaq Mangrio, Independent Journalist,
52. Jaffar Memon, We Journalists,
53. Jami Chandio, Executive Director, Centre for Peace and Civil Society,
54. Jugnu Mohsin, The Friday Times
55. Kamran Noorani, Businessman
56. Kamran Shafi, Columnist
57. Karamat Ali, Executive Director, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research,
58. Kausar S. Khan, Women Action Forum
59. Khawar Mumtaz, Shirkat Gah,
60. Lala Hassan, Co-convener Asian Muslims Lawyers Human Rights Network for South
61. Lateef Mughal, General Secretary, Peoples Workers Union KESC
62. Mansoor Ahmed, SAP-Pakistan
63. Maqbool Dal, President, Village Community Development Organization Mirpur Khas
64. Marvi Sirmed, Columnist Daily Times
65. Masood Punjabi, trade union activist Sweden
66. Mehnaz Rehman, Regional Director Aurat Foundation,
67. Mirza Abdul Shakoor, Executive Director, Community Development Concern, Sialkot
68. Mirza Yusuf Agha
69. Mohammad Ali Shah, Chairperson Pakistan Fisher folk Forum (PFF)
70. Mohammad Tahseen, Executive Director, South Asia Partnership Pakistan,
71. Mohammad Waseem, IRC Lahore
72. Mohsin Sayeed, journalist
73. Mola Bux Leghari, Executive Director, SPEACH Development org, Dadu, Sindh
74. Mumtaz Mughal, Aman Ittehad Punjab
75. Naeem Mirza, Aurat Foundation
76. Naeema Malik, South Asia Partnership -Pakistan
77. Najam Sethi, anchor, Geo TV
78. Najma Sadeque, Women Action Forum
79. Naseer Memon, Chief Executive, Strengthening Participatory Organization, SPO,
80. Nasir Iqbal, Lahore Social Forum
81. Nasir Mumtaz, Kashf Foundation
82. Nasreen Azhar, Women Action Forum
83. Nausheen Ahmad, Advocate
84. Naziha Syed Ali, journalist
85. Nazim F Haji, industrialist, Former Chief Citizens Police Liaison Committee,
86. Nazir Ghazi, Godh Lahore
87. Nazish Brohi, Women Action Forum
88. Nighat Saeed Khan, ASR Resource Centre and Women Action Forum
89. Noman Quadri, student, Karachi
90. Omar Ali, Columnist and Moderator Asia Space
91. Peter Jacob, National Commission for Peace and Justice
92. Prof. Arfana Mallah, President Sindh University Teachers Association,
93. Prof. Dr. Ijaz Khan, Chairman, Department of International Relations, University of Peshawar
94. Punhal Saryo, President Sindh Hari Porhiat Council,
95. Qamar Hayat, Executive Director Sahara Development Foundation,
96. Rabia Khan, Women Rights Activist, Karachi
97. Raja Abbas, ANCE Lahore
98. Rana Bilal, Youth Parliament Pakistan
99. Rana Riaz Saeed, Development Activist and Lobbyist
100. Rashida Dohad, Omar Asghar Khan Foundation
101. Raza Rumi, writer/columnist
102. Raziq Fahim, Director College of Youth Activism and Development
103. Rehana Shaikh, Institute of Social Policy
104. Rubina Jamil, NTUF
105. Sabahat Ashraf, “iFaqeer” Communicator, Citizen
106. Sabiha Shaheen, Bargad Foundation Gujranwala
107. Saeed Ahmed Rid, Commonwealth Scholar, Peace Studies, University of Bradford, UK & Lecturer, National Institute of Pakistan Studies (NIPS), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
108. Saeeda Diep, Institute for Peace and Secular Studies
109. Salima Hashmi, Artist and Academician
110. Samina Khan, Executive Director Sungi Development Foundation
111. Samina Khan, Sungi Foundation
112. Sayed Masud-ul Hassan
113. Shahzad Ahmad, Country Coordinator, Bytes for All, Pakistan
114. Shaikh Tanveer Ahmed, Chief Executive HANDS Pakistan
115. Sheema Kermani, Tahreek –e- Niswan,
116. Sheen Farrukh, Inter Press Communications,
117. Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi, Chair & Founder Pakistan Youth Alliance, Central Executive Committee, Khudi Pakistan
118. Tasneem Ahmed Siddiqui, Chairman, Saiban, Former Chief Secretary Sindh,
119. Ume Laila, Home Net Pakistan
120. Uzma Noorani, Council Member HRCP
121. Waseem Akram, SAP-Pakistan
122. Zahid Islam, Director, SANGAT-Lahore
123. Zia Banday
124. Zia Rehaman, AWAZ CDS Multan
125. Zubaida Noor, Noor Education Trust, Peshawar
126. Zubair Faisal Abbasi, Development Consultant
127. Zubair Malik, STEP, Khushab
128. Zulfiqar Halepoto, Sindh Democratic Forum,
129. Zulfiqar Shah, Institute for Social Movements Pakistan

The One Million Signature Campaign has recently been launched to celebrate White Ribbon Day to show solidarity with women who are victims of violence in any form and to show men’s pledge to end violence against women.

Country Director of White Ribbon Campaign Pakistan Mr. Omer Aftab explained the objective behind the White Ribbon campaign. He said that to stop violence against women, it is not sufficient that we create awareness about womens’ rights among women – it is absolutely essential that men join alongside women to encourage norms of consent, respect and gender equality and that they challenge the unfair power relations which leads to violence.

He also announced the launch of a nationwide journalists’ engagement program on gender sensitization and violence against women and said that a White Ribbon Media Alumni was being established.

White Ribbon Campaign Pakistan – WRCP is a project of the Women’s Empowerment Group and Vision 2015, working with men and boys to eradicate women’s human rights violations.

Some of the major things that have been done by WRCP include:

1.      Mass distribution of awareness material for Men & Boys on ending VAW

2.      Nationwide Media Campaign in Daily Jang, The News & GEO News to mark White Ribbon Day on 25th Nov.

3.      Nationwide Journalists Engagement Programme

4.      Mass mobilization through a Banner Campaign

5.      Youth Awareness Seminars in Universities

6.      Circulation of SMS condemning violence against women on 25th Nov to 3.0 million Warid subscribers

7.      Pledge campaign http://www.whiteribbon.org.pk/one-million/index.php

So since this is a worldwide campaign I decided to check out their main website more details so that we could all understand what it is that they are trying to accomplish. I was quite amazed at the size of the campaign and its outreach. It is an effort that started in Canada and has spread to 55 countries. Here are some of the basic questions that the website was able to answer regarding the White Ribbon Campaign, how it started, what it means to wear a white ribbon and how they are trying to ensure that their mission is accomplished.

What is the White Ribbon Campaign (WRC)?
The White Ribbon Campaign (WRC) is the largest effort in the world of men working to end violence against women (VAW). In over fifty-five countries, campaigns are led by both men and women, even though the focus is on educating men and boys. In some countries it is a general public education effort focused on ending violence against women.

How did the WRC get started?
In 1991, a handful of men in Canada decided they had a responsibility to urge men to speak out about violence against women. Wearing a white ribbon would be a symbol of men’s opposition to violence against women. With only six weeks of preparation, 100000 men across Canada wore a white ribbon, while many others were drawn into discussion and debate.

What does it mean to wear a white ribbon?
Wearing a white ribbon is a personal pledge to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women and girls. Wearing a white ribbon is a way of saying, “Our future has no violence against women.”

What is the goal of WRC? How is this accomplished?
The main goal of WRC is ending violence against women in all its forms. We accomplish this in five ways:

• Challenging everyone to speak out, and think about their own beliefs, language and actions.
• Educating young people, especially young men and boys, on the issue through the educational resources we produce.
• Raising public awareness of the issue.
• Working in partnership with women’s organizations, the corporate sector, the media and other partners to create a future with no violence against women.
• Supporting White Ribbon Campaigns around with our experience, resources and networks.