November 26, 2007
The Toll of the Emergency in PakistanNews
We’ve been receiving tips about the alarming (deteriorating) condition of mutinous Munir A. Malik, who was detained by Mushie’s henchman and held incommunicado for far too long. I scanned a few blogs which are dedicated to Pakistan’s struggle and have information for you, below:
Former president Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan Mr Munir A. Malik has suffered renal failure. He has been shifted to ICU in PIMS where he is undergoing kidney dialysis. In panic, Musharraf has lifted the detention orders on Munir A. Malik.
For the last 2 weeks leading lawyers’ and HR organizations worldwide have been calling upon Musharraf to release Munir A. Malik from detention. Asma Jahangir had written in her letter ( to HR organizations worldwide) that Munir A. Malik has been tortured by intelligence agencies.
The News is also reporting that Munir Malik has told doctors that he was served juice in Attock jail. Upon drinking the juice his condition start deteriorating. Since then his kidneys have failed and doctors are also concerned about liver function.
An immediate inquiry needs to be held to determine if Munir Malik was poisoned. For torturing Munir (as indicated by Asma Jahangir) and for keeping him incarcerated in a critical condition for two weeks Pervez Musharraf should be tried for attempted murder.
Finally we ask all concerned people to pray for Munir’s well-being. [Democracy and Freedom]
Ameen. As for others who are paying for their involvement in the struggle:
It has just been reported on a mailing list that another political prisoner Justice (retd) Tariq Mahmood is also in critical condition and has been shifted from the Kot Lakhpat prison to Service Hospital, more updates to follow.
Muneer A Malik’s condition is still deemed to be serious. There has been no word on Ali Ahmed Kurdas of yet. [The Emergency Times]
As for the picture in this post:
Muneer A. Malik, former President Supreme Court Bar Association was shifted from detention to hospital. Hundreds of people delivered flowers to the hospital to express their sympathy and support for Muneer A Malik (who is in a serious condition) for standing up against the emergency in Pakistan. [Emergency2007]
More photographs available here, via Flickr.
A friend of mine knows Muneer Malik through his family.
Understandably, it’s been agonizing for him to witness what Pakistan is suffering through, from here. I have not had the opportunity to pore through the links and resources he and other mutineers have sent me, so like my last post, this is light on commentary.
But, I’m haunted by what’s going on and like most humans, when something touches someone I know, it touches me, too. I want to open a space for discussion; I want to let those of you who have taken such care to try and keep me apprised with information which I could use for a post know that I still type in solidarity, even if I haven’t been able to read what you have painstakingly sent my way. This is not a great post, but it’s a tiny something to let you know that it’s still on my mind; if it’s on my mind, chances are, it’s on some of yours, too.
anna on November 26, 2007 06:40 PM in News · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
¤ Anil Kalhan said: Permanent and Serious Physical Damage Rising to the Level of Organ Failure
Anna, very worrisome news, and thank you for blogging these developments. I join all those praying for his recovery, and that of Justice Mahmood. I really hope a full and impartial inquiry is held into the circumstances of his detention, and prosecutions are launched if damning evidence is uncovered.
I am linking a comment about Munir Malik I had made two weeks ago, here, with links to the Great Debate on Geo TV. The debate is in Urdu, but his interview with Omar Khan of Jaiza from back in the summer, when he had visited the US, is almost completely in English - it is in four parts on youtube. The videos really give you a sense of the man, his integrity, his commitment, and his vision for Pakistan.
A friend of mine knows Muneer Malik through his family.
I believe he went to Law School in the Bay Area.
Anna, many thanks for posting this. And to think that this, in the words of President Bush, is what happens when Musharraf supposedly hasn't "crossed any lines."
It is shameful how American media has ignored him and his fellow activists who are lawyers and judges. Probably because America dislikes "activist" judges. Somebody donate him a kidney.
Anna, many thanks for posting this
Yes, thanks. Just checked in after about a month or so. It's good to see that there are posts with some balance on Musharraf and how his state of emergency has descended into a power play dominated by torture and underhand tactics, as has happened before with politicians struggling to keep power without the people's support.
I'm not saying Benazir Bhutto comes up looking like roses compared to Pervy Mushy (just saw her autobiography titled 'Daughter of the East' in a bookshop and gagged) but posts like this show just how misguided it is to passively or actively support a regime that overrides real democracy.
