Benazir calls for street protests

[TomClash]

Source: The Dawn

ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto on Tuesday called upon the people to come out on streets for the restoration of democracy.

“I appeal to the nation to join the protest (against the imposition of emergency) and show their power. When people will come out, pressure will mount. The people will have to fight for the restoration of the Constitution and democracy and to save the country,” Ms Bhutto told reporters at her residence here after arrival from Karachi.

She said her Nov 9 public meeting at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi would now be a show of protest, and not part of the election campaign as announced earlier.

The PPP chairperson said her party would not attend the National Assembly session on Wednesday as she believed the present assemblies were only there to strengthen dictatorship. Instead, she said, her party leaders and activists would hold a demonstration outside the parliament house soon after the start of the assembly session.

She criticised the government for arresting Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and other judges, recalling that it was the second time during Gen Musharraf’s rule that judges had been expelled. She claimed that more than 50 per cent of the arrested lawyers belonged to the PPP.

More . . .

Read more: http://dawn.com/2007/11/07/top2.htm

[Orsino]

1. People are going to die doing this.

More than have already died, I guess.

A large enough demonstration, though--a peaceful one--might enable peaceful transition of power.

[SoCalDem]

2. Such a shame.. She will follow her father and brothers..

Pakistan is NOT anything like it was when she was there.. Even if she did manage to gain an official position again, she would never be "allowed" to serve.. Someone's going to kill her and she'll leave her 3 kids, motherless.. Power must be quite an aphrodisiac..even surpassing motherly love :cry:


Her son is now about 20 (this pic is from 2000), but her daughters are still in their teens)

[erpowers]

4. Maybe She Just Cares

Maybe it is not that power is an aphrodisiac, but just that she care about her county and wants to do what she can to help. Maybe she does not realize the danger, maybe she does not believe the danger is that bad, or maybe she just does not believe there is any real danger to her.

[Eugene]

3. Bhutto supporters arrested during clashes with police

Source: The Guardian

1pm update
Bhutto supporters arrested during clashes with police

Allegra Stratton and agencies
Wednesday November 7, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

Civil disorder in Pakistan entered a new phase today
with the first clash between opposition party
demonstrators and police.

Supporters of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto
were arrested while protesting outside the country's
parliament in Islamabad.

Hundreds of protesters were seen pushing metal
barriers into ranks of riot police blocking their
path, while police dragged several activists away
and fired tear gas at them.

Political parties have so far stayed away from the
demonstrations, banned under General Musharraf's
now five-day-old emergency rule.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/pakistan/Story/0,,2206570,00.html