Shitkat Gah Alert - 15 May 1999

15th May 1999

Dear Friends,

We are witnessing a full-fledged attack on human rights activists, organisations and other institutions of civil society as part of an overall move toward an authoritarian regime in Pakistan. In this context, we are writing to share with you the extremely disturbing developments taking place. We are especially concerned about the threats, harrassment and vilification campaign against Shirkat Gah, a prominent women's organization.

In a press statement (See News report ) issued on Friday, 14 May 1999, Punjab Social Welfare Minister, Pir Bin Yamin attacked by name the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Shirkat Gah, and Ajoka (a conscientisation theatre group), charging that they were "spreading vulgarity and obscenity in the name of human rights." (The News, 5.15.99, copy attached). He accused HRCP of "trying to promote a 'culture of adultery,'" saying that it "wanted to create a generation which didn't even know about their parents, and when they grew up they would have no love for the country or Islam."

Minister Bin Yamin further claimed that, because NGOs receive funding from outside Pakistan, they "served foreign masters and worked for some 'vested interests.' The latest onslaught is a news report in the daily Umat, Karachi (16/05/99) which states that the Government of Sindh, (on the directive of the Federal Government) has initiated an enquiry against Shirkat Gah for embezzling Rs 8 crores of World Bank funds and for its involvement in anti-state activities. The absurdity of the financial allegation is revealed by the fact that Shirkat Gah has never received any funds from the World Bank for any project. The allegation of anti&endash;state activities emanates from the participation of a Shirkat Gah representative in a British Council seminar on Violence Against Women. The seminar was attended by Ms Nasreen Parvez, Additional Secretary, Dept of Social Welfare and Women's Development, Sindh, who declared that she was there for the explicit purpose of monitoring NGOs; she cautioned Shirkat Gah in particular not to make statements that may be construed as anti-government.

In addition to this, Shirkat Gah has also received a letter from the Registrar of Societies, Sindh (where Shirkat Gah is registered), charging it with failure to submit information about the organisation. This letter has been addressed to the office bearers of Shirkat Gah and to their new address, which belies the charge that Shirkat Gah has not been sending information.

The general attack against NGOs is most intensive in the Punjab (where the Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif is the brother of the Prime Minister) and is led by the Social Welfare Minister, Pir Bin Yamin. The excuse being used is that of accountability. While we agree that accountability is a necessary process for a developed civil society, we reject its misuse as a tool to silence any diversity of opinion.

The first result of the government's so-called "scrutiny" was the de-registration of 1,941 organisations operating under the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961 on 10 May 1999. Amongst these at least one has been de-registered for failing to inform the Directorate of a change in address.

At the same time, the Punjab Minister for Social Welfare has announced that they are now scrutinising/investigating those NGOs registered under the Societies Act and reiterated that he thinks all human rights and women's rights organisations in urban areas to be "fraudulent" (The News/Dawn 10.5.99)

Parallel to this attack on NGOs numerous other developments have taken place in the overall move towards an authoritarian regime without checks and balances. This has included the attack on journalists, and the undermining of other institutions. (see attached news clippings).

Shirkat Gah is one of 35 organizations that form the Joint Action Committee for People's Rights (JAC), which for over a year now, has led the human rights campaigns. Most of these groups are presently being visited by members of the government intelligence agency, who ask them their stands/opinions on:

They also ask for information about the organizations' sources of funding and about other human rights groups.

Shirkat Gah is an organisation that is highly regarded both within Pakistan and internationally, for its commitment, quality of work and integrity. We urge you to support Shirkat Gah and other institutions of civil society in Pakistan by:

1) Writing to the Pakistan Embassy/High Commission in your country and to the persons at the addresses listed below

a) expressing concern about the vilification campaign against Shirkat Gah and direct attacks on institutions of civil society, especially NGOs and journalists,

b) requesting an immediate halt to inflammatory statements by government representatives and incitement to violence against human rights activists and organisations in Pakistan

2) Write to your representatives and bilateral agencies expressing concern and asking that your government take up this issue with the government of Pakistan;

3) Write to international and regional institutions expressing concern and asking them to take up this issue with the government of Pakistan, reminding them that Pakistan is signatory to various international instruments that uphold human rights and call for an enabling environment for NGOs (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, CEDAW, Child Rights Convention, ICPD Programme of Action, Beijing Platform, Social Summit)

Chief Minister, Mian Shahbaz Sharif
Fax: (92-42) 920 0130 and 920 0160
Prime Minister, Mian Nawaz Sharif
primeminister@pak.gov.pk
fax: (92-51) 920 8890 and 920 1545
Federal Minister of the Interior, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
Fax: (92-51) 920 2624

Additionally, write to the following members of the judiciary as custodians of fundamental rights to please take suo moto notice of these attacks

The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Ajmal Mian
Fax: (92-51) 921 3452
Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid,
C/o Supreme Court of Pakistan
Fax: (92-51) 921 3452
Chief Justice Lahore High Court, Justice Rashid Aziz
Fax: (92-42) 735 5888
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