TERROR AND HARRASMENT OF KILN OWNERS AND LAWYERS AGAINST STAFF OF INSAN DOST ASSOCIATION (IDA) AND BRICK KILN WORKERS IN ARIFWALA COURT, DISTRICT PAKPATTAN (PUNJAB) PAKISTAN:

Dear all here is a story we have received via a Mr Imran Anjum.   We post this prima facie and verabtim:

Sahiwal, May 16, 2012: Staff of Insan Dost Association [IDA] and Kiln workers harassed and beaten up by Kiln Owner and Lawyers in Arifwala Court:

Mr. Munir is a brick kiln worker and member of Insan Dost Association [IDA], a non-governmental organization which works to protect the rights of brick kiln workers in Sahiwal Division in Pakistan. Since 2006, Mr. Munir, his wife Mrs. Khadija Bibi and four sons have worked at a brick kiln located at Chowk Kala Pathan, Pakpattan, Pakistan. Allegedly, Mr. Munir and his family are bonded laborers whose debt passes from generation to generation.

On 19^th November 2011, Mr. Munir and other brick kiln workers had talks with kiln workers to demand a wage increase in accordance with the provincial government notification 2010(517 rupees per 1000 bricks).But they were Haji receiving 250 rupees per 1000 bricks.

But kiln owner Mr. Khalid made a groundless allegation against Mr. Munir in order to punish him for demanding payment of the minimum wage as required by the local Government laws. Mr. Munir has been charged with the sexual assault of Ms. Halima Bibi.Mrs. Name of Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad is also included in the FIR 06/12(PPP 476A).Since that time Mr. Muneer is in Jail.

On 16^th of May, 2012 Mr. Munir was to be presented in court of Additional Session Judge in Arifwala court. From Sahiwal Head Office Mr. Imran Anjum, (finance secretary), Miss Shazia Wattu (general secretary), Miss Najma Khalil (program officer) and brick kiln worker (Mrs. Khadija W/O Munir Ahmad) arrived at Arifwala court at 9:00 am. Mr. Munir was presented at 11:00 am in court of Additional Session Judge at 11:20 am. Mr. Imran and his companions were about to leave court. But suddenly Kiln Owner Mr. Iftikhar Maher and his servants, Bashir Ahmad etc. came with other lawyers and about more than 50 people and attacked on Mr. Imran Anjum and IDA’s female workers and beat them and assault them in Arifwala court. Miss Shazia Wattu, Miss Najma Khalil, Mrs. Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad, Driver Zeshaan Ali and Kiln laborers injured badly. Mr. Iftikhar Maher and his fellows tried to burn the car of IDA .But Driver quickly drive the car and runaway from court. They attacked Mr. Imran Anjum and Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad and their fellows with knives, hockey, pistols, etc. Mr. Iftikhar and his servant, Bashir Ahmad tried to kill Mr .Imran and Mrs. .Khadija W/O Munir Ahmad but they run away from court to save their life.

S.H.O. (Abdul Gafar Khan) of Police Station of City Arifwala reach at 11:45 am .Miss Shazia and other females requested him to save them from Maher Iftikhar and others. S.H.O. brought them to Police Station of City Arifwala at 12:00 am and asked them to write application. Mr. Imran Anjum wrote application .S.H.O. said wait for me I am coming just in 10 minutes. At 2:30 pm Mr. Anjum Raza Mattu, Director of Insan Dost Association [IDA] reached Police Station of City Arifwala alongwith a lawyer and a journalist named Wilson Raza. S.H.O came at 2:25 pm.Mr. Imran Mattu, Mrs. Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad and driver Zeshaan Ali went to hospital for their medical checkup. After that Mr. Anjum Raza Mattu, Mrs. Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad, a police man and Driver Zeshaan went to Civil Hospital Arifwala for medical checkup of, Mrs. Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad. But medical was not completed that’s why Mr. Anjum Raza Mattu and Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad come back to Sahiwal at 1:00 am. And Mr. Imran Anjum is still in custody of police in Police Station of City Arifwala under a fake FIR #298/12, offence 324/506B, of firing in court. But still after completion of medical report no action has been taken against Mr. Iftikhar Maher and others because the corrupt police department fully supports to kiln owners still no FIR is registered against accused. This is a real picture of behave with human rights activists and defenders in Pakistan. In Pakistan, it is a very big offence to support bonded laborers and minorities. Due to the support of poor and bonded community Mr. Imran Anjum has been arrested in Arifwala police Station and other 

female social activists of IDA are facing false cases.

CURRENT SITUATION OF THE FALSE CASE AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS OF INSAN DOST ASSOCIATION:

Now the situation of above mentioned case is as following:

 1) Mr. Imran Anjum has been sent to Central Jail Sahiwal on 31^st May, 2012.

2) Three more persons (Mr. Anjum Raza Mattu, Director of Insan Dost Association [IDA], Zeshaan Ali, laborer Rafique Masih) have been nominated in First Information Report (FIR) instead of unknown persons and now these persons are on pre-arrest bail.

3) Application for bail of Mr. Imran Anjum has been submitted in court but the judge is extending dates for bail without any reason and not giving final decision because he is much pressurized by the lawyers and kiln owners.  After protest against R.P.O Sahiwal cross version FIR was registered against accuse on 26^th May, 2012 but still no action has been taken against accused due to conspiracy of police department, kiln owners and lawyer because main accused of this case named Iftikhar Maher is a kiln owner, president of Union of Kiln Owners and practiced in court as a lawyer at the same time.

4) After the restoration of judiciary lawyers have much influence on judiciary. Accused are threatening social workers specially women of Insan Dost Association [IDA].

5) Local Bar of lawyers is united against us and no local lawyer is ready to support us therefore, for the legal assistant we are hiring different lawyers from different districts at heavy cost such as from Okara, Sahiwal, Multan, and Lahore.

6) After long struggle of IDA activists Mr. Imran Anjum has released on bail on 27^th June from Sahiwal Central Jail but the case is still going on in court.

PRESENT SITUATION ABOUT IDA

On 8 June 2012, a blasphemy accusation was filed against staff members of Insan Dost Association (IDA) namely Mr Anjum Raza Mattu, Mr. Imran Anjum, Ms. Shazia Parveen, and Ms. Najma Khalil. IDA is a human rights organization based in Punjab Province which works for the promotion and protection of the rights of bonded laborers and their families. They advocate to increase the wage of kiln workers, the enrollment of child kiln workers in schools, and for the elimination of debt bondage.

A blasphemy accusation has been filed against Anjum Raza Mattu, Imran Anjum, Shazia Parveen, and Najma Khalil by kiln owner Mr. Javed Iqbal on behalf of Mr. Iftikhar Mohar, who is also a kiln owner. The complaint was submitted to Mr. Qazi Ashfaq Ahmed, the Commissioner of Sahiwal Division in Punjab Province. The Commissioner has the power to order the police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against the alleged accused. IDA has been active in recent years in working to protect the rights of brick kiln workers and have come to disagreement with kiln owner Iftikhar Mohar.

It is reported that Javed Iqbal also accused IDA of involving in anti-government activities and called for the registration certificate of IDA to be revoked. On 26th July 2012, IDA staff was invited to participate in the investigation and were requested to be presented for the next meeting which will be held on 27th August 2012.  

The present situation is very dangerous and critical for human rights defenders to perform their work for promotion and protection of rights of bonded laborers and their families in Pakistan.

Please take appropriate action to support IDA and its staff. 

 :

Sahiwal, May 16, 2012: Staff of Insan Dost Association [IDA] and Kiln workers harassed and beaten up by Kiln Owner and Lawyers in Arifwala Court:

Mr. Munir is a brick kiln worker and member of Insan Dost Association [IDA], a non-governmental organization which works to protect the rights of brick kiln workers in Sahiwal Division in Pakistan. Since 2006, Mr. Munir, his wife Mrs. Khadija Bibi and four sons have worked at a brick kiln located at Chowk Kala Pathan, Pakpattan, Pakistan. Allegedly, Mr. Munir and his family are bonded laborers whose debt passes from generation to generation.

On 19^th November 2011, Mr. Munir and other brick kiln workers had talks with kiln workers to demand a wage increase in accordance with the provincial government notification 2010(517 rupees per 1000 bricks).But they were Haji receiving 250 rupees per 1000 bricks.

But kiln owner Mr. Khalid made a groundless allegation against Mr. Munir in order to punish him for demanding payment of the minimum wage as required by the local Government laws. Mr. Munir has been charged with the sexual assault of Ms. Halima Bibi.Mrs. Name of Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad is also included in the FIR 06/12(PPP 476A).Since that time Mr. Muneer is in Jail.

On 16^th of May, 2012 Mr. Munir was to be presented in court of Additional Session Judge in Arifwala court. From Sahiwal Head Office Mr. Imran Anjum, (finance secretary), Miss Shazia Wattu (general secretary), Miss Najma Khalil (program officer) and brick kiln worker (Mrs. Khadija W/O Munir Ahmad) arrived at Arifwala court at 9:00 am. Mr. Munir was presented at 11:00 am in court of Additional Session Judge at 11:20 am. Mr. Imran and his companions were about to leave court. But suddenly Kiln Owner Mr. Iftikhar Maher and his servants, Bashir Ahmad etc. came with other lawyers and about more than 50 people and attacked on Mr. Imran Anjum and IDA’s female workers and beat them and assault them in Arifwala court. Miss Shazia Wattu, Miss Najma Khalil, Mrs. Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad, Driver Zeshaan Ali and Kiln laborers injured badly. Mr. Iftikhar Maher and his fellows tried to burn the car of IDA .But Driver quickly drive the car and runaway from court. They attacked Mr. Imran Anjum and Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad and their fellows with knives, hockey, pistols, etc. Mr. Iftikhar and his servant, Bashir Ahmad tried to kill Mr .Imran and Mrs. .Khadija W/O Munir Ahmad but they run away from court to save their life.

S.H.O. (Abdul Gafar Khan) of Police Station of City Arifwala reach at 11:45 am .Miss Shazia and other females requested him to save them from Maher Iftikhar and others. S.H.O. brought them to Police Station of City Arifwala at 12:00 am and asked them to write application. Mr. Imran Anjum wrote application .S.H.O. said wait for me I am coming just in 10 minutes. At 2:30 pm Mr. Anjum Raza Mattu, Director of Insan Dost Association [IDA] reached Police Station of City Arifwala alongwith a lawyer and a journalist named Wilson Raza. S.H.O came at 2:25 pm.Mr. Imran Mattu, Mrs. Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad and driver Zeshaan Ali went to hospital for their medical checkup. After that Mr. Anjum Raza Mattu, Mrs. Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad, a police man and Driver Zeshaan went to Civil Hospital Arifwala for medical checkup of, Mrs. Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad. But medical was not completed that’s why Mr. Anjum Raza Mattu and Khadija Bibi W/O Munir Ahmad come back to Sahiwal at 1:00 am. And Mr. Imran Anjum is still in custody of police in Police Station of City Arifwala under a fake FIR #298/12, offence 324/506B, of firing in court. But still after completion of medical report no action has been taken against Mr. Iftikhar Maher and others because the corrupt police department fully supports to kiln owners still no FIR is registered against accused. This is a real picture of behave with human rights activists and defenders in Pakistan. In Pakistan, it is a very big offence to support bonded laborers and minorities. Due to the support of poor and bonded community Mr. Imran Anjum has been arrested in Arifwala police Station and other female social activists of IDA are facing false cases.

NEW SITUATION OF THE FALSE CASE AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS OF INSAN DOST ASSOCIATION:

Now the situation of above mentioned case is as following:

 1) Mr. Imran Anjum has been sent to Central Jail Sahiwal on 31^st May, 2012.

2) Three more persons (Mr. Anjum Raza Mattu, Director of Insan Dost Association [IDA], Zeshaan Ali, laborer Rafique Masih) have been nominated in First Information Report (FIR) instead of unknown persons and now these persons are on pre-arrest bail.

3) Application for bail of Mr. Imran Anjum has been submitted in court but the judge is extending dates for bail without any reason and not giving final decision because he is much pressurized by the lawyers and kiln owners.  After protest against R.P.O Sahiwal cross version FIR was registered against accuse on 26^th May, 2012 but still no action has been taken against accused due to conspiracy of police department, kiln owners and lawyer because main accused of this case named Iftikhar Maher is a kiln owner, president of Union of Kiln Owners and practiced in court as a lawyer at the same time.

4) After the restoration of judiciary lawyers have much influence on judiciary. Accused are threatening social workers specially women of Insan Dost Association [IDA].

5) Local Bar of lawyers is united against us and no local lawyer is ready to support us therefore, for the legal assistant we are hiring different lawyers from different districts at heavy cost such as from Okara, Sahiwal, Multan, and Lahore.

6) After long struggle of IDA activists Mr. Imran Anjum has released on bail on 27^th June from Sahiwal Central Jail but the case is still going on in court.

PRESENT SITUATION ABOUT IDA

On 8 June 2012, a blasphemy accusation was filed against staff members of Insan Dost Association (IDA) namely Mr Anjum Raza Mattu, Mr. Imran Anjum, Ms. Shazia Parveen, and Ms. Najma Khalil. IDA is a human rights organization based in Punjab Province which works for the promotion and protection of the rights of bonded laborers and their families. They advocate to increase the wage of kiln workers, the enrollment of child kiln workers in schools, and for the elimination of debt bondage.

A blasphemy accusation has been filed against Anjum Raza Mattu, Imran Anjum, Shazia Parveen, and Najma Khalil by kiln owner Mr. Javed Iqbal on behalf of Mr. Iftikhar Mohar, who is also a kiln owner. The complaint was submitted to Mr. Qazi Ashfaq Ahmed, the Commissioner of Sahiwal Division in Punjab Province. The Commissioner has the power to order the police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against the alleged accused. IDA has been active in recent years in working to protect the rights of brick kiln workers and have come to disagreement with kiln owner Iftikhar Mohar.

It is reported that Javed Iqbal also accused IDA of involving in anti-government activities and called for the registration certificate of IDA to be revoked. On 26th July 2012, IDA staff was invited to participate in the investigation and were requested to be presented for the next meeting which will be held on 27th August 2012.  

The present situation is very dangerous and critical for human rights defenders to perform their work for promotion and protection of rights of bonded laborers and their families in Pakistan.

Please take appropriate action to support IDA and its staff.