Treatment of women members of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) by Muslim extremists [PAK37320.E]

No reference to the treatment of women members of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) by Muslim extremists could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, a 3 February 2001 article reported the Vice Chairman of the PPP as "strongly condemning" the arrest and continued detention of PPP women demonstrators who had been protesting in Lahore against the "rising cost of living, unemployment and lawlessness" (Dawn 3 Feb. 2001). The women had been denied bail and the right to meet their legal counsel or male family members at the police stations (ibid; Financial Times Information 2 February 2001; Agence France Presse 2 February 2001). In another case, police baton-charged and arrested PPP women workers who were protesting in favour of government reform (Pakistan Press International 13 March 2001). As well, a 8 May 2001 article reported that the PPP had decided not to attend a conference on "representation of women in parliament and local government" citing "state violence against political workers, particularly women" as the reason (Dawn 8 May 2001). The PPP was apparently protesting the arrest of PPP women participating in the banned May pro-democracy protests in Karachi (Dawn 2 May 2001). Another incident in Lahore involved a clash between police and PPP Women Wing activists (Dawn 2 May 2001b). In this case, Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) leaders and workers were trying to gain access to the Lahore airport when police barred their way. The women were "manhandled" and subsequently jailed (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 status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


Agence France Presse. 2 February 2001. "Bhutto's Party Demands Release of Women Activists in Pakistan."(NEXIS)

Dawn [Karachi]. 8 May 2001. "PPP Not to Attend Government Moot." htttp://www.dawn.com/2001/05/08/nat1.htm [Accessed 3 July 2001]

_____. 2 May 2001. "ARD Men Clash with Police, Court Arrests: Stones Hurled, Tear-gas Shells Lobbed." htttp://www.dawn.com/2001/05/02/top2.htm [Accessed 5 July 2001]

_____. 2 May 2001b. "PPP Women Activists Clash With Police." htttp://www.dawn.com/2001/05/02/nat1.htm [Accessed 4 July 2001]

_____. 3 February 2001. "Islamabad: Arrest of Women Protesters Criticized." htttp://www.dawn.com/2001/02/03/local18.htm

Financial Times Information. 2 February 2001. "Pakistan People's Party Demands Release of Women Workers." (NEXIS)

Pakistan Press International [Karachi]. 13 May 2001. "Police Baton Charges PPP Women Protesters." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted


Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, State of Human Rights in 2000 (CD-ROM)

IRB databases

Jane's Intelligence Review

LEXIS/NEXIS

Research Directorate. Country File, January 2000-

World News Connection

Internet sites, including:

Amnesty International

BBC

CNN

Dawn

Frontier Post

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

Human Rights Watch

Integrated Regional Information Networks

International Relations and Security Network

News International

Pakistan Daily

Pakistan News Service

UN News

Women Living Under Muslim Laws