ISLAMABAD: Civil society activists gathered in front of National Press Club on Tuesday to protest the murder of human rights activist Sabeen Mehmud in Karachi. The participants were holding banners inscribed with slogans such as “Become a voice for Sabeen: Become a voice of Balochistan” and “Justice for Sabeen: Justice for Balochistan.” Some symbolically locked their lips with black tapes and many were found holding a mask of Sabeen in front of their faces. Speakers urged people to become voice of Sabeen. They condemned the killing. Some were angry over media for treating Sabeen’s murder as a murder of an NGO worker and creating doubts around the incident. The speakers said that all is very clear and time has come to take names. They linked Sabeen’s murder with the seminar organised at T2F on Balochistan issue. They were of the view that Sabeen’s murder, especially in the light of threats she was receiving from both state and non-state actors supported by the state, could not be ignored and requires authorities’ immediate attention. They demanded the government investigate this killing as independently as possible and weed out from within any elements who may have aided the perpetrators. They said they will replicate the event “Unsilencing Balochistan,” the last event hosted by Sabeen at T2F, across Islamabad in different public places. They said that purpose of the gathering was to remember Sabeen and develop future course of action to ensure that the cause for which Sabeen was silenced did not die with her. “If they are determined to silence us, we are determined to raise our voice,” said Human Rights Activist Hina Jilani. Political leader and human rights activist Bushra Gohar said that all those who take stand for truth are targeted. “It is unfortunate that human rights are termed as ‘some one’s agenda’ in our country,” she said. Human rights activist Marvi Sirmed said that the spirit of Sabeen was too strong to be assassinated by state or non-state actors. She said that on the day of murder, the government demanded law enforcer submit report in 72 hours. “Those 72 hours have passed long ago but no report of findings has been shared.” Human rights activist Tahira Abdullah said that Sabeen was a young, brave and strong woman. She urged participants to show up on every call if they really want to take forward the voice of Sabeen. The gathering was joined by a large number of Sabeen’s friends who shared their memories of working with her. Singer and human rights activist Areeb Azhar said that Sabeen’s heart, like her venue T2F, was always open to all who were trying in their own way to bring some beauty into the world. “Her loss is not only the loss of a friend but also of a mentor and a champion of human values.” Chairperson National Commission on the Status of Women Khawar Mumtaz, while talking to The News, remembered Sabeen as a kind and simple person. “All she did was providing a platform where people can openly talk about the issues related to rights, art, literature, culture etc. This is a very dangerous trend that as a society, we are not ready to even listen to such a kind voice,” she said while strongly condemning the murder. Meeran Karim adds from Lahore: Human rights activists, students and trade union leaders gathered outside the Lahore Press Club on Tuesday to protest the killing of rights activist Sabeen Mahmud in Karachi by unidentified men and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill 2015 what they termed an attempt to infringe on their constitutional right to freedom of expression. Activists carried banners and chanted slogans stating that they would not be silenced and discussions on the state of enforced disappearances in Balochistan would continue despite threats and warnings. They told The News that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill 2015 was against the activism of the assassinated Mahmud and termed it a draconian attempt to censor debate and criticism of politicians and those in power. Civil society representatives expressed solidarity with the Baloch people in addressing their grievances and called for the state to act against target killing of progressive figures. Past examples of the targeted human rights lawyer Rashid Rehman, social worker Parveen Rehman, and the survived senior journalist Hamid Mir were quoted as failures of the state to bring their perpetrators to justice. Time and time again, civil society organises candlelit vigils and rallies for those killed without getting assurance from the government and establishment, said civil society representatives. Representing the progressives and leftists of Pakistan, the Awami Workers Party workers stated that the way to mourn the loss of a dear comrade like Mahmud is to continue her mission. This will entail enabling free flow of ideas and information through constant conversations about issues like human rights violations. Addressing the demonstration, AWP finance secretary Shazia Khan said Mahmud’s killing was only the most recent example of the silencing of progressive voices that had dared to speak about the plight of the oppressed classes and nationalities in Pakistan. She recalled that in the past intellectuals like Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Habib Jalib and leftist activists like Hasan Nasir and Abdul Rehman had suffered the wrath of powers-that-be for raising their voices for democracy, freedom of expression and civil liberties for all peoples and nationalities that inhabit the country. AWP general secretary Farooq Tariq highlighted the need for progressives to join hands in the struggle for promotion of civil liberties and political rights in the country. He criticized the leadership of major political parties for their failure to protect civilian supremacy. Later talking to The News, AWP General Secretary said restrictions on free speech would disadvantage progressives and their activism of the rights of missing persons in Balochistan, which could be penalized for hurting Pakistan’s so-called national interests. Yousaf Baloch represented the All Pakistan Workers Confederation at the demonstration. He said trade unions had been allied with progressive forces from day one to secure political rights and liberties for the people. He said Mahmud’s sacrifice should serve as a warning to the progressives that they could struggle against the oppressive state elite only through unity in their ranks. Founder of Pakistan Feminist Watch, Nabiha Meher Shaikh said the killing of Mahmud had sent a strong violent message to human right defenders in Pakistan and those individuals propagating alternative education like Sabeen that countered state-sanctioned thought and speech. She termed the cyber crimes bill a draconian and said it would be counterproductive to solving harassment problems faced by women. Executive Director of Women in Struggle for Empowerment, Bushra Khaliq said the harassment of human rights defenders must be curbed and the killing of Mahmud was meant to target those providing a platform to the Baloch. Khaliq praised Sabeen Mahmud for having the courage to hold the talk after it was cancelled by LUMS administration. Director of Working Women Organisation, Aima Mehmood promised that civil society would strongly protest the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill 2015. The protestors demanded a fair and impartial investigation of Mahmud’s murder. They said an investigation that ended in fixing the responsibility on unidentified persons would not be acceptable to the progressive and leftist forces in the country. They said that they would continue to hold demonstrations and stay in the streets until the perpetrators were exposed and brought to justice. Our Karachi correspondent adds: Days after the city lost T2F founder and director Sabeen Mahmud, an activist bent upon restoring the city to its formal glory, to five gunshots, civil society activists staged a demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday to condemn her brutal murder. Mahmud, accompanied by her mother Mehnaz and driver Ghulam Abbas, was shot dead near the Defence Central Library on Friday while she was on her way home, an hour after a seminar on Balochistan at T2F had ended. Mahnaz suffered two bullet injuries, one in her arm the other in her back while the driver remained unhurt.The protesters, comprising several civil society activistsand members of the Baloch Human Rights Organisation, chanted slogans against the state’s inability to protect the citizens. Renowned journalist Wusat Ullah Khan regretted that attempts were being made to distort the reason for Mahmud’s murder and said those responsible would be exposed sooner than later. “It is not 1971 that we find out what happened and where, days or years after the time of the incident. It is 2015 where events are reported in real time leaving little space for misunderstandings,” Khan said while commenting over the speculations surrounding the murder. Kiran Nazish, a Pakistani journalist of global repute and also a close friend of Mahmud, described her as force behind many who later excelled in their fields, and acknowledged the fear had gripped the city’s activists soon after her murder. She stressed the need for greater unity within the civil society at this point. Saying that Mahmud was a source of encouragement for her during her struggling years, Nazish said it was difficult for her to look at placards displaying her pictures and demanding justice for her. “The fact that she won’t be a part of these protests anymore is difficult to fathom.” Earlier, a meeting to devise a future action plan was held by civil society activists wherein it was decided that a protest would be held outside the Karachi Press Club on April 30 followed by a silent procession till Zaibunnisa Street.
