No reference to a Shia organization named "Pasban-e-Islam" could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, according to an online Urdu-English Dictionary, the word Pasban or Paasbaan in Urdu means sentinel or watchman (n.d). As well, a 6 February 2001 article appearing in Dawn briefly referred to a youth wing of the organization Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) entitled "Pasban." According to their Website, Jamaat-e-Islami is a multi-sectarian "religio-political" organization that draws members from Shia, Sunni, Devbandi, Brelvi and Ahlehadith schools of thought and whose objective is "to seek Allah's pleasure by striving to establish the Islamic order 'iqamah ad-din'" (n.d.).

An article in 11 January 2001 edition of the Far Eastern Economic Review reported that Jamaat-e-Islami, which was described as a fundamentalist party, staged "protests across Pakistan on December 17 demanding Musharraf's resignation." As reported in a 11 March 2001 article, the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Provincial President of Pasban stated that in 1993 Pasban had separated from Jumat-e-Islami (JI) because he felt that JI was using Pasban for its "political purposes" (The Pakistan Newswire). According to the Provincial President, Pasban has, since this date, become an "independent pressure group working for the human rights" (ibid). A 29 August 2000 article reported that, upon questioning by the United States, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) stopped aiding and funding Kashmiri and Sikh extemists and instead transferered those activiites to "private" organizations such as the Pasban wing of Jamaat-e-Islami (The Hindu).

As well, reference was made to a Pasban Cooperative finance corporation in several Dawn articles (3 July 2001; 3 March 2001; 8 February 2001; 24 January 2001; 25 August 2000). Reference was also found to a Shia organization in Houston, Texas entitled "Pasban-e-Aza." (Pasban-e-Aza n.d.). This organization has no knowledge of a Shia organization entitled "Pasban-e-Islam" (11 July 2001).

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 status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Dawn [Karachi]. 3 July 2001. "Co-op Victims to Get First Cheques on 5th." http://dawn.com/2001/07/03/nat11.htm [Accessed 10 July 2001]

_____. 3 March 2001. "Gulzar to Pay Rs197 Million to NAB." http://dawn.com/2001/03/03/nat7.htm [Accessed 11 July 2001]

_____. 8 February 2001. "Co-op Default Cases Referred to NAB." http://dawn.com/2001/02/08/nat14.htm [Accessed 11 July 2001]

_____. 6 February 2001. "Solidarity Day with Kashmiris Observed." http://dawn.com/2001/02/06/top3.htm [Accessed 11 July 2001]

_____. 24 January 2001. "NAB Granted Mansoor's 90-Day Remand." http://dawn.com/2001/01/24/nat15.htm [Accessed 11 July 2001]

_____. 25 August 2000. "Cases Against Five Co-op Societies Being Finalized." http://dawn.com/2000/08/25/nat17.htm [Accessed 11 July 2001]

Far Eastern Economic Review [Hong Kong]. 11 January 2001. Ahmed Rashid. "Elites' Loss, Islamists' Gain."

The Hindu. 29 August 2000. V. Jayanth. "The Tentacles of the ISI." (Financial Times Information/NEXIS)

Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. n.d. http://www.jamaat.org [Accessed 9 July 2001]

The Pakistan Newswire. 11 March 2001. "Pasban Rejected Allegations." (Pakistan Press International/NEXIS)

Pasban-e-Aza. Houston, Texas. 11 July 2001. Correspondence.

_____. n.d. http://www.pasban-e-aza.org [Accessed 10 July 2001]

Urdu-English Dictionary. n.d. http://urdudict0.tripod.com/ [Accessed 13 July 2001]

IRB databases

Europa World Year Book 2000

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (CD-ROM)

LEXIS/NEXIS

Political Handbook of the World 1999

Research Directorate. Country File, October 1999

World News Connection

Internet sites, including:

Amnesty International

BBC

Dawn

Dawn Wire Services

Frontier Post

Human Rights Watch

International Relations and Security Network

Jamal's Yellow Pages of Pakistan

The News International

Political Parties, Interest Groups and Other Movements

Refworld

Shia Homepage

Shia News