Eyewitness to massacres in Pakistan

I have recieved the following eye-witness report of yesterday's massacre from the Labour Education Foundation (Pakistan)

"The whole population of Karachi was very enthusiastically waiting to make a historical reception of Chief justice of Pakistan on 12th May 2007. All major political parties, trade unions, civil society organizations and professional bodies had chalk out theirs plans to give rousing well come to the honorable guest .The vibrant mood of city was alarming for the ethnic organization who is very near and dear to General Musharaf and Company.

"They come to rescue their master through rein of terror which let loose on peoples of Karachi since 11th May night. They have started terrorizing and harassing activists of opposition parties and common citizens and forcing them not to attend the rallies in respect of the Chief Justice reception on 12th May.

"Just after the sun set on 11th May they started their ugly game with the all out support of Provincial and city government and army headed rangers. They took the control of all the roads and inter sections that lead toward the airport. They had started to snatch and scratch banners and posters and uproot the reception camps of different parties. The goons of ethnic party had made an attempt on life of Munier A malik, Lawyer of CJ and tried to kidnap Akhter Hussein Advocate, former president of Sindh High Court Bar Association from his home in Gulshan Iqbal area, just to spread panic in the city.

"They create an environment on fear all over the city and had made mid night knocked on the door of opponents and threaten them dire consequences if them did not follow them. They put hurdles on the roads; hundreds of buses laid on shahra Faisal, only road which connecting the city to the airport. All main points from where workers would reach the airport blocked by the trailers, big trucks and water tankers with punctured tyres. All these points where policed by the well-armed hardcore members of MQM along with army and rangers personnel. All the day they didn’t let the people towards the airport.

"The high command of MQM had ordered their workers to hijack hundreds of buses of Karachi University, NED engineering University, IBA, DOW medical College, Sindh Medical College on one hand and forcefully took away the buses of opponents and tortured them harshly. They attacked the Labour Party Pakistan workers with heavy firing at Awami Merkaz where three persons injured. After it the series of violence against the rallies participants converted into bloody war.

"They had started direct firing on thousands of participants of the rallies when they stared to reach near airport. The incidents of heavy firing with sophisticated weapons where reported and also seen by me at Awami Merkaz, Star Gate, Malir Halt, Natha Khan Goth, Drigh Road station, Goro Mandir Chowk, Nazimabad and near Baloch Colony bridge. The terrorists of MQM had torched the offices of “AAJ TV” and “Business Recorder” and put on fire scores of cars, motor cycles and other vehicles parked out side the office to show their rage on live coverage of terrorist activities of MQM.

"I visited Jinnah Hospital where I saw ten dead bodies and hundreds of injured at emergency. There are reports of 20 political workers’ death and more then 350 seriously injured till the filing of this writ up at 5.00pm, majority of dead and injured were ANP and ML (N) workers.

"Chief Justice is still stuck at airport, he refused to go with officials of governments and told them that he would go along with his hosts,the Sindh High Court bar Association. many lawyers are still missing, office bearers and more the 50 members of Malir Bar association were severely tortured by the MQM workers. The ten members including Zahoor Hussain Mehar, Voice president of Malir District bar association, who took refuge in Mosque, which was surrounded by the gang of terrorist, were rescued by the Labour Party Pakistan with the help of Asad But of HRCP.

"Situation is very much tense every where, city is in the grip of fear and uncertainty and ethnic tension is very high again. All democratic peace-loving forces come forward and fly high the flag of democracy, which is now become red with the blood of innocent workers. Today’s martyrs are heroes of democratic struggle, their blood will usher a new era of democracy, triumph just cause and ever lasting defeat of military dictators. "