South Asia Citizens Web

It was quite an extraordinary way of celebrating the 67th anniversary of Pakistan’s independence last week. Believing that they could usher in freedom/revolution by bringing their supporters out on the street, Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri succeeded only in creating polarisation and instability in a crisis-ridden country.

FORTALEZA DECLARATION III BRICS TRADE UNION FORUM
Fortaleza, Brazil, July 15th 2014
We, trade union leaders from the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, representing the workers of our nations, have met in Fortaleza, Brazil, on July 15th 2014, while the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the BRICS countries also took place.

On the 17th of August, (Sunday) at 10:10 pm, an SUV automobile (XYLO, with no. DL7CM1368) on its way from Kashmere Gate towards Jamuna Bazaar [New Delhi], swerved towards a road divider and injured 13 people, some of whom are till today, in a critical condition.

While no one expected breakthroughs in bilateral talks, either blocked or desultory since 2009, prospects for change were part of the cautious hope in the air ever since Modi and Sharif met in Delhi in a cloud of cold-peace warmth. [and now] the cancellation of secretary level talks [. . .]. But then that’s typical India and Pakistan. One day biryanis and bonhomie, the other two days muscle and war-memes.

We consider the two dharnas by the supporters of Imran Khan of the PTI and Dr. Tahir ul Qadri of PAT in front of the Parliament and other sensitive offices of the country in Islamabad as “illegal” and their demands as “unconstitutional”. We urge them to immediately call off these protests and enter into meaningful negotiations with the government. The sooner a dialogue is held, the better it will be for democracy and the country.