This Response incorporates sections of PAK34038.E of 29 March 2000, PAK34649.E of 20 June 2000 and PAK34758.E of 17 July 2000.

The Pakistan Muslim League (PML)

The Pakistan Muslim League (PML) was established in 1962 as the successor to the All-India Muslim League (Political Parties of the World 2002 2002, 362). Since then, the PML was plagued by factional rivalries and divisions (ibid.), one of which resulted in the establishment of the PML-N (Nawaz) in April 1992 (The Herald Oct. 2002, 30). The PML-N was led by Nawaz Sharif (ICG 3 Oct. 2002, 15) until August 2002, when Sharif stepped down from the PML-N leadership and was replaced by his brother, Shahbaz Sharif (AFP 4 Aug. 2002). The PML-N was in power following the 1997 elections until the military takeover of the government on 12 October 1999 (The Herald Oct. 2002, 30).

A further rivalry in the party resulted in the establishment of the PML-LM (Like-Minded) (ibid. Oct. 2002, 31) some time between 20 November 2000 (ibid. Dec. 2002, 35-36) and March 2001 (ibid. Mar. 2001, 48). In 2001, the PML-LM was renamed the PML-Q (Quaid-e-Azam) (ibid. Oct. 2002, 31). Differences that developed in December 2002 between the then president of the PML-Q, Main Muhammad Azhar, and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Salim Sifullah, two of the party's senior leaders, led to the expulsion of Azhar from the presidency (Daily Star 26 Apr. 2004). On 11 January 2003, the PML-Q confirmed that Hussain was Azhar's replacement, while Sifullah became the secretary general of the party (ibid.).

Those who initially joined the PML-Q were, according to International Crisis Group (ICG), largely dissidents of other parties, including some from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the PML-N (ICG 3 Oct. 2002, 15). ICG adds that in an attempt to curb opposition parties, the current government employed various tactics to encourage feelings of resentment towards Sharif within the PML-N (ibid., 15). As a result, some PML-N leaders and members have supported the PML-Q either due to their resentment towards Sharif, their desire for political rewards or simply because they had been pressured or threatened to re-direct their support or be held accountable for past illegal actions (ibid.).

Unofficially known as the King's Party (The Washington Post 6 Oct. 2002), the PML-Q became the government's closest civilian partner and political ally (ICG 3 Oct. 2002, 15, 29). As of February 2004, the PML-Q was in control of both houses of the national parliament and the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Sindh (Country Reports 2003 25 Feb. 2004). In the opinion of the Joint Director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in correspondence with the Research Directorate, the PML-Q has experienced no problems with the government or its agencies (i.e., military, law enforcement, etc.) (5 Apr. 2004).

The PML-N has support in the North West Frontier Province (particularly in the non-Pashtun speaking areas) and limited support in the Baluchistan province (ibid., 29). Due to internal dissent within the party, the PML-N lost a lot of public support to the PML-Q, but has slowly begun to regain it (ibid., 29-30). In September 2002, the youth wing of the PML-Q reportedly switched its membership to the PML-N (Dawn 13 Sept. 2002).

On 17 September 2003, the prime minister of Pakistan, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, announced that five factions of the PML had merged into one party under the name PML to be led by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain (ibid. 18 Sept. 2003). The factions that merged were: PML-Q, PML (Functional), PML (Junjejo), PML (Jinnah) and PML (Zia) (ibid.; ibid. 12 Oct. 2003). According to Jamali, the PML-N will also be invited to merge with the PML when the time is appropriate (Dawn 18 Sept. 2003). However, in an earlier news report, the president of the PML-N indicated that he had ruled out any possibility of merging with the PML-Q (ibid. 27 June 2003). Reports since September 2003 indicating whether the PML-N was invited to join the PML merger could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Since, as stated above, the PML-Q has reportedly experienced no problems with the government or its agencies (HRCP 5 Apr. 2004), this Response will focus on the treatment and detention of members, activists and workers of the PML-N and, its student wing, the Muslim Student Federation (MSF), by the government and other opposition parties.

PML-N Relationship with the Government

In December 2000, the government announced that President Musharraf had excused Nawaz Sharif, who had been sentenced to 25 years in jail for corruption-related charges, from serving his prison sentence and exiled him to Saudi Arabia (Dawn 10 Dec. 2000). The pardon however, did not extend to other aspects of his punishment, including the fine, forfeiture of property and disqualification from public office for 21 years (ibid.). Nawaz Sharif led the PML-N from exile until 3 August 2002, when he stepped down to enable his brother, Shahbaz Sharif, to contest the October 2002 national elections (AFP 4 Aug. 2002).

The relations between the government and the PML-N have involved various consultation attempts. For example, in June 2002, the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD), of which the PML-N is a member (Freedom House 2003), cancelled its consultative meeting with President Pervez Musharraf, which had been scheduled for 18 June 2002 (Gulf News 16 June 2002; BBC 17 June 2002). The ARD cited the physical abuse and arrest of many PML-N leaders and workers at a rally promoting the rights of Kashmiris as the motivating reason for the cancellation (ibid.; Gulf News 16 June 2002). A further consultation meeting between the prime minister and opposition parties was held in May 2003, which resulted in a deadlock over constitutional changes made by the president prior to the 2002 national elections (please see section on the October 2002 elections below) (AFP 26 July 2003). Another consultation was scheduled for late July 2003, in which the PML-N was to participate (ibid.), but the PML-N along with the PPP decided to boycott the meeting, stating that they would only engage in talks with the government once the constitutional changes referred to above were removed from the constitution (ibid. 27 July 2003).

In late 2002, The Washington Post reported that according to diplomats and analysts, the Musharraf government had used the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), a federal anti-corruption agency in Pakistan (NAB 2003, 1), to intimidate opposition members and coerce them into joining the PML-Q by threatening them with investigations by the NAB (The Washington Post 6 Oct. 2002). In a press conference held in August 2002, the chairman of the NAB, Munir Hafiez, could not name any PML-Q politician that had been arrested by the NAB, but indicated that 24 cases under investigation and prosecution at that time involved 30 individuals affiliated with the PML-N (Dawn 25 Aug. 2002). If convicted of accountability charges, they were to be barred from participating in elections (ibid.). Information on the outcome of these cases could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

In March 2003, Rana Sanaullah, the PML-N leader in the Punjab Assembly, was reportedly kidnapped by armed men, some of whom were in police uniform, who then robbed and physically assaulted him before releasing him on the side of a road (ibid. 13 Mar. 2003). Sanaullah was reported to have said that a medical report of his injuries and his complaint were submitted to the district police who refused to register the case against the alleged offenders (The Herald Apr. 2003). Sanaullah alleged that subsequent to the news reports of his kidnapping, the police registered a first information report against "unknown people just to protect the people [Sanaullah] was willing to identify as the torturers" (ibid.). Sanaullah believed that those responsible for kidnapping and assaulting him were members of an intelligence agency (Dawn 20 Mar. 2003; ibid. 10 Mar. 2003). Information on whether anyone was investigated, arrested, tried or convicted for masterminding or carrying out these alleged acts against Sanaullah could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

In April 2003, Pakistan, a pro-PML, Urdu-language daily newspaper, reported that the relationship between the government and the PML-N was progressing in a positive manner, particularly after President Musharraf granted permission to Shahbaz Sharif's wife and daughters to come to Pakistan to attend an engagement ceremony of one of his daughters (12 Apr. 2003). However, two months later, upon the arrival in Pakistan of Sharif's family, the police raided Sharif's house for the purpose of arresting his wife and daughters (Dawn 30 June 2003). The PML provincial chief Pir Sabir Shah reportedly alleged that the arrests were used to harass the women (ibid.). Information on the arrests, including on any charges that may have been made, could not be found by the Research Directorate among the sources consulted.

General Elections in October 2002

In the time leading up to the October 2002 general elections, the military government of President Musharraf openly promoted the PML-Q (Freedom House 2003) and allegedly took measures to ensure the party's victory (HRW 2003; The News 19 Oct. 2002). The following are some examples of the measures taken.

Several sources reported that in July 2002, President Musharraf issued a decree that prohibits persons who had served as prime minister for two terms from serving for a third term, thereby blocking Nawaz Sharif from returning to the post (BBC 7 July 2002; AFP 4 Aug. 2002; Dawn 28 July 2002). However, references to the status of Sharif's judicially imposed 21-year ban from public office were not made among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

In August 2002, Musharraf implemented the Legal Framework Order (LFO) comprising a set of constitutional amendments which, according to HRW, "strengthened the power of the presidency, formalized the role of the army in governance, and diminished the authority of elected representatives" (2003). The LFO also disqualifies persons who have been convicted of criminal offences, persons who have defaulted on the payment of their loans and utility bills, and persons who failed to appear for court proceedings, from candidacy in elections (HRW 2003). More recent information on the LFO could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Despite the various barriers that prevented Nawaz Sharif from contesting the October 2002 elections (ibid.), a nomination application for Sharif was accepted in late August 2002 by election officials (BBC 31 Aug. 2002). However, a week later Sharif withdrew from the elections to protest against the government and express solidarity with PPP's leader, Benazir Bhutto, whose nomination application was rejected (ibid.).

In September 2002, election officials rejected the PML-N nomination application of Shahbaz Sharif, because he was the guarantor of a bank loan on which the recipient defaulted (BBC 12 Sept. 2002).

Other measures employed by the government to curb opposition victory in the elections reportedly included interference with the electoral results in areas where PML-Q support was low, acceptance of invalid votes that favoured the PML-Q, and changes in the venue of polling stations where PML-N support was high (HRW 9 Oct. 2002; ibid. 2003). According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the police also raided PML-N offices and harassed PML-N workers and candidates prior to the elections (ibid.; HRW 9 Oct. 2002).

During the elections, one PML-N official was shot and killed in Sindh province, while a PML-N activist was shot and killed outside of Multan city (AFP 10 Oct. 2002). Reports of other acts of violence against PML-N members during the October 2002 national elections could not be found among sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Treatment of PML-N Members, Activists and Workers

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, the Joint Director of the HRCP stated that in her opinion, the situation of members, leaders and activists of the PML-N is identical to those who belong to the PPP (5 Apr. 2004). Specifically, she indicated that PML-N activists experienced difficulties prior to the October 2002 national elections, at which time many were arrested, harassed and/or detained by the police, while trying to organize rallies, etc. (HRCP 5 Apr. 2004). The Joint Director stated that PML-N workers were also arrested and detained during demonstrations held to protest the arrest of party leaders, such as Javed Hashemi (ibid.). Since the October 2002 elections, the Joint Director added,

[a]s far as I am aware ... this harassment has decreased, though [PML-N] leaders have faced pressure to switch political loyalties. At the level of activists, workers and party members, there have been fewer reports of harassment, although some isolated incidents continue to take place (ibid.).

During the period of June 2000 through March 2004, PML-N members, activists and workers were arrested and/or detained. The following is a non-exhaustive summary of arrests and detentions (unless otherwise noted, information on the outcomes of the events listed below could not be found in the sources consulted by the Research Directorate):

13 June 2000: Rana Nazir, PML general secretary for Punjab province, was detained by the NAB pending an investigation into corruption allegations against him (AFP 13 June 2000). After being detained for two years, Nazir was released, although as of 14 April 2004 his case was still pending (Dawn 18 Apr. 2004). Soon after being released Nazir joined the PML-Q (ibid.).

7 July 2000: Reports indicate that between 93 and 300 PML members were arrested in Punjab in an attempt to stop a procession organized by Sharif's wife, Kulsoom Nawaz (AFP 7 July 2000; BBC 7 July 2000).

8 July 2000: Approximately 60 PML-N members were arrested in connection with Kulsoom's planned procession, but were released on 11 July 2000 (AFP 11 July 2000).

9 July 2000: Approximately 30 PML-N supporters were detained when the police interrupted their meeting as they were planning a protest against those arrested on 7 July 2000 (BBC 9 July 2000).

11 July 2000: Three senior PML-N leaders were detained for assisting Kusloon Nawaz drive through a police cordon (AFP 11 July 2000). Kusloon was placed under house arrest until the leaders turned themselves in to the police (ibid.). The leaders were formally arrested on 19 July 2000 (Dawn 20 July 2000).

20 July 2000: Two PML-N leaders were detained in connection with treason charges (AFP 20 July 2000).

11 August 2000: 40 PML-N workers were arrested ahead of the scheduled public meeting to commemorate Pakistan's Independence Day on 14 August (ibid. 11 Aug. 2000). The police only admitted to arresting two PML-N leaders (ibid.).

12 October 2000: Over 300 PML-N supporters were detained while observing the first anniversary of the military coup (BBC 12 Oct. 2000).

26-30 April 2001: The police carried out an arrest campaign against ARD members to prevent them from holding a pro-democracy rally on 1 May 2001 (AFP 26 Apr. 2001; BBC 27 Apr. 2001; Dawn 27 Apr. 2001; ibid.; 28 Apr. 2001; ibid. 29 Apr. 2001; ibid. 30 Apr. 2001; ibid. 1 May 2001). Most of those arrested were members of the PML-N and PPP (AFP 26 Apr. 2001; BBC 27 Apr. 2001; Dawn 27 Apr. 2001). Although the police claimed to have arrested a total number of 675 activists, the PML-N indicated as of 29 April 2001, police had arrested over 1,500 PML-N leaders and workers in Sindh province, including 840 in Karachi (ibid. 30 Apr. 2001). According to AFP, those detained were to be released once the authorities were satisfied that the threat of protests had ceased (26 Apr. 2001).

23 March 2002: PML-N leader, Khalid Dogar, was arrested as part of an arrest campaign against ARD members for planning to hold a public meeting (Dawn 24 Mar. 2002).

8 April 2002: Police physically assaulted and arrested 18 PML-N activists while they were trying to stage a sit-in protest in front of the venue of Musharraf's public meeting (ibid. 9 Apr. 2002).

15 June 2002: Police physically assaulted and arrested dozens of PML-N leaders and workers to prevent them from holding a rally to express support to Kashmiris (BBC 15 June 2002). In August 2002, pre-arrest bail was granted to five of those arrested (Dawn 22 Aug. 2002).

16 January 2003: Police physically assaulted several PML-N candidates during by-elections in Punjab province (ibid. 16 Jan. 2003).

29 May 2003: 13 opposition Members of Parliament (MPA) and 21 PPP and PML-N workers were arrested on charges of making a public disturbance and chanting anti-government slogans (ibid. 30 May 2003). The MPAs were released at 7pm that day, but others remained in detention (ibid.).

20 October 2003: Iqbal Awam, a PML-N worker who was arrested for his participation in a protest against the dismissal of Sharif on 14 October 1999 was released after being imprisoned for three years (ibid. 21 Oct. 2003).

29 October 2003: Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, president of the ARD and a high PML-N leader was arrested on treason-related charges (The News 31 Oct. 2003; BBC 31 Oct. 2003; Dawn 5 Nov. 2003). On 12 April 2004, Hashmi was convicted, fined and sentenced to 23 years imprisonment by the District and Sessions Court in Islamabad (ibid. 13 Apr. 2004).

23 November 2003: Javed Latif, PML-N leader was arrested for making an offensive speech and was jailed on a 14-day judicial remand (ibid. 24 Nov. 2003a).

Also, Abid Sher Ali, PML-N leader, and his brother, Amir Sher Ali, were arrested for delivering an offensive speech against the government (ibid. 24 Nov. 2003b). It is unclear what, if any, further legal action had been taken against Ali, however in March 2004, Dawn reported that Ali had appeared in the National Assembly of Sindh province for the first time since his detention in November 2003 (11 Mar. 2004).

9 December 2003: 80 PML-N activists were detained for protesting against the government and for damaging property on the district court premises (ibid. 10 Dec. 2003). Police indicated that no arrests were made (ibid.).

24 December 2003: Two PML-N leaders were released from police custody, while the detention of another three PML-N leaders was extended by another two months (ibid. 24 Dec. 2003).

PML-N Relationship With Other Opposition Parties

The ARD, which was composed of 18 political parties as of 2003, including the PPP and PML-N (Freedom House 2003), was formed on 3 December 2000 (HRW 2002).

In early 2002, Dawn reported that the PML-N had been forming alliances with the PPP and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), an Islamic party (11 Feb. 2002; Dawn 28 Apr. 2002). By February 2003, the PPP and PML had begun a dialogue on national issues of concern (ibid. 3 Feb. 2003). In April 2004, the Joint Director of the HRCP indicated that that PML-Q and PPP were in alliance with each other (5 Apr. 2004).

In October 2002, several PML-N candidates contesting the general elections alleged being harassed by activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) (Dawn 9 Oct. 2002), also known as the Mothaidda Quami Movement or the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (FAS 25 Oct. 1999). In early 2003, Chaudhry Nisar, PML-N leader, claimed that the MQM had formed an alliance with the PML-N only on two occasions, and that in both instances, the alliance was broken by the military (ibid. 7 Jan. 2003).

In May 2003, Dawn reported that the political differences between the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and the ARD were increasing (25 May 2003).

In July 2003, the PML-N attended a conference on Musharraf's foreign policies, which was hosted by the JI (PPI 4 July 2003).

According to the Joint Director of the HRCP, there have been no reported incidents of violence targeted at the activists and workers of the PML-N by opposition parties (5 Apr. 2004).

The Muslim Student Federation (MSF)

News reports indicate that between September 2001 and March 2004, the Muslim Student Federation (MSF) participated in protest demonstrations (Business Recorder 19 Sept. 2001; Dawn 19 Dec. 2002; ibid. 13 Nov. 2003; The News 19 Dec. 2002), meetings of workers (The Pakistan Newswire 14 Mar. 2002), rallies (Dawn 1 Mar. 2003; PPI 4 Mar. 2004; The Nation 1 Feb. 2003) and a campaign for the release of Abdul Qadeer Khan and other scientists (WNC 8 Mar. 2004).

In June 2003, the MSF (along with other student organizations) reportedly joined the Sindh Shagird Alliance, an organization that promotes education and student rights throughout the province of Sindh (The News 30 June 2003).

Several MSF members were arrested and detained in 2000 and 2003. The following is a summary of reports of arrests and detentions that were made:

9 July 2000: Maqbook Ahmed Khan, MSF city president was arrested while participating in a PML-N protest meeting (Dawn 10 July 2000).

12 October 2000: A number of MSF leaders and activists were arrested for observing the first anniversary of the military coup (ibid. 13 Oct. 2000).

31 January 2003: Muhammad Shafiq, MSF divisional president, was arrested after a clash took place with other student groups during an anti-American rally (PPI 31 Jan. 2003).

13 November 2003: Several MSF members were released after they were charged with participating in a pro-Kashmir rally on 14 July 2002 (PPI 13 Nov. 2003).

10 December 2003: Several MSF activists were charged of protesting against the government in front a district court (Dawn 10 Dec. 2003).

Information on the outcome of the above-listed arrests and detentions could not be found by the Research Directorate in the sources consulted.

On 10 January 2004, there was a clash between the MSF and the National Student Federation (NSF) (PPI 10 Jan. 2004). The MSF believed that the NSF was behind the clash and wanted those responsible to be arrested, adding that the police were siding with the NSF on the matter (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 27 July 2003. "AFP: Key Parties Boycott Meeting With Pakistan PM on Constitutional Crisis." (FBIS-NES-2003-0727 28 July 2003/Dialog)

_____. 26 July 2003. "AFP: Pakistan's Opposition Meet to Devise Strategy for Talks with Government." (FBIS-NES-2003-0726 28 July 2003/Dialog)

_____. 10 October 2002. "Five Killed, Dozens Injured in Pakistan Poll Violence." (NEXIS)

_____. 4 August 2002. "Chronology of Nawaz Sharif's Political Career." (NEXIS)

_____. 26 April 2001. Mazar Abbas. "Pakistani Police Detain Hundreds More Oposition Activists." (NEXIS)

_____. 11 August 2000. "Pakistani Police Arrest Dozens of Sharif's Party Activists." (NEXIS)

_____. 20 July 2000. "Two Key Supporters of Sharif's Wife Detained." (NEXIS)

_____. 11 July 2000. "Police Lift Siege Around Kulsoom House." (NEXIS)

_____. 7 July 2000. "Pakistani Police Detain Up to 300 Sharif Party Members." (NEXIS)

_____. 13 June 2000. "Sharif Ally Detained." (NEXIS)

BBC. 31 October 2003. "Pakistan MPs Protest Over Arrest." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3230879.stm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

____. 12 September 2002. "Sharifs Out of Pakistan Poll." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2253957.stm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 31 August 2002. "Sharif Withdraws from Pakistan Poll." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2227876.stm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 17 June 2002. "Pakistan President' Meeting with Opposition Leaders Cancelled." (NEXIS)

_____. 15 June 2002. "Pakistani Police Arrest Protesting Muslim League Leaders." (NEXIS)

_____. 7 July 2002. Owais Tohid. "Pakistan Law Blocks Bhutto and Sharif." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2108130.stm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 17 June 2002. "Pakistan President's Meeting with Opposition Leaders Cancelled." (NEXIS)

_____. 27 April 2001. "Pakistan Condemned for Arrests." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1300599.stm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 12 October 2000. "Detentions Mark Coup Anniversary." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/967624.stm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 9 July 2000. "Sharif Supporters Detained." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/825943.stm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 7 July 2000. "Mass Arrest of Sharif Supporters." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/823012.stm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

Business Recorder [Lahore/Karachi]. 19 September 2001. "Students Hold Anti-US Protest Demo." (Dialog)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003. 25 February 2004. United States Department of State. Washington, D.C. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27950.htm [Accessed 31 Mar. 2004]

Daily Times [Lahore]. 26 April 2004. Hasan-Askari Rizvi. "OP-ED: The Politics of Mergers." http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_26-4-2004_pg3_2 [Accessed 4 May 2004]

Dawn [Karachi]. 18 April 2004. Ashraf Mumtaz. "Accountability Farce." http://www.dawn.com/weekly/dmag/dmag8.htm [Accessed 23 Apr. 2004]

____. 13 April 2004. "Hashmi Sentenced to 23 Years." http://www.dawn.com/2004/04/13/top2.htm [Accessed 23 Apr. 2004]

____. 11 March 2004. Raja Asghar. "NA Opposition Wants Sindh Govt to Resign." http://www.dawn.com/2004/03/11/top1/htm [Accessed 23 Apr. 2004]

_____. 24 December 2003. "PML-N Leaders Released." http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/24/nat9.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 10 December 2003. "Police Book 80 PML-N Workers." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 10 Dec. 2003]

_____. 24 November 2003a. "Shiekhupura: PML-N Man Sent to Jail on Judicial Remand." http://www.dawn.com/2003/11/24/local11.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 24 November 2003b. "Two More PML-N Leaders Booked." http://www.dawn.com/2003/11/24/nat5.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 13 November 2003. "PML-N Leader's Release Demanded." http://www.dawn.com/2003/11/13/nat5.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 5 November 2003. "Hashmi Held for Abetting Mutiny, LHC Informed." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 6 Nov. 2003]

_____. 21 October 2003. "Karachi: Pml-N Activist Freed After 3 Years." http://www.dawn.com [Accesse 21 Oct. 2003]

_____. 12 October 2003. "A Chronology: 1999-2003." http://www.dawn.com/2003/10/12/nat1.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 18 September 2003. Rafaqat Ali. "Five PML Factions Merge: PM Says Nawaz Group to be Contacted at Right Time." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 19 Sept. 2003]

_____. 30 June 2003. "PML-N Observes Hunger Strike." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 30 June 2003]

_____. 27 June 2003. "Shahbaz Ready to Return, Face Trial." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 27 June 2003]

_____. 30 May 2003. Asif Shahzab. "Cases Registered Against 13 Opposition MPAs: Qasim, Sanaullah, Others Detained, Freed." http://www.dawn.com/2003/05/30/top2.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 25 May 2003. Amir Wasim. "ARD Names Fahim As Opposition Leader." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 28 May 2003]

_____. 20 March 2003. "Punjab PA Can Discuss A Federal Agency?" http://www.dawn.com/2003/03/20/nat12.htm [Accessed 23 Apr. 2004]

_____. 13 March 2003. "Sanaullah Formally Lodges Complaint." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 13 Mar. 2003]

_____. 10 March 2003. Shamsul Islam Naz. "Faisalabad: Rana Sanaullah Tortured." http://www.dawn.com/2003/03/10/local33.htm [Accessed 23 Apr. 2004]

_____. 1 March 2003. "Activists of PML-N Stage Anti-US Rally." http://www.dawn.com/2003/03/01/nat8.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 3 February 2003. "Politicians, Intellectuals Vow to Resist Govt Moves." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 5 Feb. 2003]

_____. 16 January 2003. Intikhab Hanif. "PML-N Workers Baton-charged: By polls in PP-142." http://www.dawn.com/2003/01/16/nat9.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 7 January 2003. "No Attempts being Made to Reunify PML Factions: Nisar." http://www.dawn.com/2003/01/07/nat7.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 19 December 2002. "Hyderabad: MSF Hold Demo Against Nawaz's Forced Exile." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 19 Dec. 2002]

_____. 9 October 2002. "MQM Activists Harass Opponents: Candidates." http://www.dawn.com/2002/10/09/nat20.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 13 September 2002. "PML-QA Youth Join PML-N." http://www.dawn.com/2002/09/13/nat16.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 25 August 2002. "NAB Chief Denies Action against Certain Politicians." http://www.dawn.com/2002/08/25/nat16.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 22 August 2002. "Pre-Arrest Bail of 5 PML(N) Activists Confirmed." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 22 Aug. 2002]

_____. 28 July 2002. "Benazir to Return Home, Fight Polls: Aides." http://www.dawn.com/2002/07/28/top8.htm [Accessed 4 May 2004]

_____. 28 April 2002. Ashraf Mumtaz. "ARD Vows to Continue Political Flight." http://www.dawn.com/2002/04/28/top2.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 9 April 2002. "Police Beat, Arrest 18 PML-N Workers." http://www.dawn.com/2002/04/09/nat12.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 24 March 2002. Saleem Shahid. "Attempt to Hold Public Meeting Foiled: 23 Arrested." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 25 Mar. 2002]

_____. 11 February 2002. Ahmad Hassan. "Failed Unification Move Benefits Nawaz Group." http://www.dawn.com/2002/02/11/top4.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 1 May 2001. "63 More PPP, PML-N Workers Arrested." http://www.dawn.com/2001/05/01/nat10.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 30 April 2001. "Police Raids for ARD Activists." http://www.dawn.com/2001/04/30/nat1.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 29 April 2001. "180 Arrested As Crackdown Continues." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 30 Apr. 2001]

_____. 28 April 2001. "36 More PPP, PML-N Activists Arrested." http://www.dawn.com/2001/04/28/nat3.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 27 April 2001. "Over 200 Picked Up in Crackdown on alliance for Restoration of Democracy Activists." http://www.dawn.com/2001/04/27/nat3.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 10 December 2000. Nasir Malick and Faraz Hashmi. "President Pardons Nawaz; Entire Sharif Family Exiled: Fines, Forfeiture of Property and Disqualification Stay, Saudi Prince Brokered Deal - Plane at Chaklala Ready to Fly Off." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 11 Dec. 2000]

_____. 13 October 2000. "Over two dozen PML Workers Arrested." http://www.dawn.com/2000/10/13/nat4.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

_____. 20 July 2000. "Tehmina Daultana, Javed Hashmi Arrested." http://www.dawn.com/2000/07/20/top13.htm [Accessed 23 Apr. 2004]

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_____. 30 June 2003. "SSA Vows to Stribe for Students' Rights." http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/jun2003-daily/30-06-2003/main/main11.htm [Accessed 1 Apr. 2004]

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_____. 10 January 2004. "MSF, NSF Clashes on Rise Once Again." (Dialog)

_____. 13 November 2003. "PML-N Leaders Acquitted in Kashmir Rally Case." (Dialog)

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Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).