pictures of Assam bomb blast(30-10-2008)

source:news agencies

More than 40 people people lost their lives in these serial bomb blasts and 200 people were injured ,some of them very critical. All bombs went off simultaneously at 11.30 a.m in different districts of Assam including its capital guwahati.

special polling booths for kashmiri pandit migrants

NEW DELHI : As part of efforts to ensure greater participation in Jammu and Kashmir polls, the Election Commission is setting up special polling stations in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi for Kashmiri migrants to cast their ballot.

The EC is setting up nine special polling stations in Jammu, one in Udhampur and four in Delhi where sizeable number of Kashmiri migrants live.

In a communication to the chief electoral officer of the state, the EC said that the poll officials in the 46 assembly constituencies in the Kashmir valley would cull from list of voters who opt for voting in person at these special polling stations.

The EC also asked the Union Home Ministry to run a publicity drive about the special arrangement in the next few days.

Besides, the Commission said those who are at present residing outside their place of ordinary residence and elsewhere other than Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi would have the opportunity to exercise their franchise through postal ballot papers.

In this regard, the EC asked the postal department to gear up for the postal ballot scheme so that the purpose was achieved.

The success of the scheme is crucially dependent on the speed of clearance and delivery of the request of the migrant electors, dispatched postal ballot papers reaching the electors before the stipulated date and again the duly filled in ballot papers reaching the concerned Returning Officers of the valley well in time before the commencement of the counting, it said.

The EC asked the postal department to direct Post Master Generals across the country especially in Delhi, Chandigarh, Bangalore and Jammu, where there are large concentration of migrant voters, to take special measures in this regard.

The Commission said it would not be possible to provide polling stations for those Kashmiri migrants living in other parts of the country and they would have the option to vote through postal ballot system.

The state would go for a seven-phased assembly polls on November 17, 23, 30, December 7, 13, 17 and 24. (PTI)

Assembly poll elections announced in J&k(17 nov-24dec2008)

NEW DELHI, Oct 19: Overcoming differences within, the Election Commission today announced an unprecedented seven-phase Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir beginning November 17, saying it has taken a “risk” against the backdrop of boycott calls in the Valley.

The three-member Election Commission which was divided on holding polls gave the go ahead thereby signalling an end to the nearly six months of Governor’s rule imposed after the Amarnath land row in July this year.

Announcing the poll schedule, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami said the exercise was being undertaken at a “risk” in view of the stand of certain political parties and outfits.

On whether political parties are ready for polls now, he said “it looks like. First you need to ask if political parties are ready. We are not conducting elections in a vacuum.

“See there were two noes and one in the no/yes category, what I call PO (positive) category. Yes, no and PO and afterward, one no became one yes and so now, we have one PO, one no and one yes. So we have taken a risk.”

 

This was in apparent reference to political parties in Kashmir like PDP which said no to polls at this junction and another major player, National Conference (NC), which gave its nod after having voiced initial reservation.

Keeping harsh winter months in mind, the EC announced polls for Leh and Kargil of Ladakh division alongwith snowbound areas of Gurez, Bandipora and Sonawari in North Kashmir on November 17.

The seven-phase elections will be held on November 17, 23, 30 and December seven, 13, 17 and 24. The counting of votes would take place on December 28 and the election process for the 87-member Assembly has to be completed by December 31 this year, Gopalaswami said.

The Assembly seats of Jammu and Srinagar cities would be going to polls in the last phase to be held on Dec 24.

The notification for the first phase covering ten Assembly constituencies would be issued on October 24 and the last date for filing nominations would be October 31. The scrutiny will take place on November 1 and the last date for withdrawal would be November 3.

The second phase would cover six Assembly segments and the notification would be issued on October 29. The last date for filing nominations would be on November 5 and the scrutiny will take place the following day. The last date for withdrawal would be on November 8.

For the third phase which would cover five constituencies, notification would be issued on November 4, Last date for filing nominations would be November 11 and the scrutiny the following day. The last date for withdrawal would be on November 14.

In the fourth phase in which 18 constituencies would be covered, notification would be issued on November 10. Last date for filing nominations would be on November 17 and scrutiny the following day. Last date for withdrawal would be on November 20.

 

The fifth phase would take care of 11 constituencies. Notification would be issued on November 17. Last date for filing nominations would be November 24 and the scrutiny the following day. The last date for withdrawal would be November 27.

The sixth phase would cover 16 constituencies. Notification would be issued on November 22. Last date for filing nominations would be on November 29 and the scrutiny would be on December 1. Nominations can be withdrawn till December 3.

For the seventh phase in which elections would be held for 21 constituencies, notification would be issued on November 26. Last date for filing nominations would be on December 3 and scrutiny the following day. Last date for withdrawal would be December 6.

Both Congress and BJP welcomed the announcement while the regional parties like NC were guarded in their response.

To a question whether the Commission was apprehensive of low turnout or boycott, Gopalaswami said “we have never said to anybody giving a call for boycott. The EC has never prevented anybody giving a call of his own liking.”

“What we have depended upon is political parties mobilising their voters and ensuring that the election goes on,” he said.

In an apparent reference to a likely poll boycott call to be given by separatists including Hurriyat Conference, the CEC said “…I don’t think anybody can enforce a boycott. They can call a boycott but they cannot enforce a boycott.”

Asked about difference of opinion within three-member Commission, the CEC said “as various issues need to be considered, so each person can take a stand on a particular issue and in a different manner…There are three Election Commissioners and at least there may be three opinions”.

As soon as the EC announced its decision, Congress spokesperson Shakil Ahmed said “the party is fully prepared for the elections and appeals to the people to vote without any fear.”

BJP spokesperson Prakash Jawdekar said “we welcome the decision and this has cleared many apprehensions. We are sure that the decision would prove to be a milestone in democratic history of the country and the State of Jammu and Kashmir in specific.”

Reacting to the EC decision, National Conference Chief Omar Abdullah gave a cautious reaction saying fear was that the polls may see a less turnout but nevertheless the State will see an elected Government. “The present dispensation was not able to address people’s problems,” Omar said.

Another regional party, PDP, herded its leaders into the house of its patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and were busy to formulate the party view.

The reason for an unprecedented seven-phase polls was attributed to availability of Central forces. “…Because we are also having elections elsewhere. So, that is the reason why you would have seen that unlike the last time where there were four phases, this time it is seven,” the CEC said.

Asked about the Commission’s concern about low turnout, Gopalaswami said “you see the turnout was a consideration only with the relevance to the political parties willingness. If political parties are not ready, then nobody is going to canvass.”

Observing that the Commission has prepared contingency plans to supplement the State machinery for conducting the polls, Gopalaswami said about 3,500 Government employees from outside could supplement the State machinery.

“Provided it is necessary, even in 2002, the State staff was supplemented by staff from outside. So as a supplementary measure, we had decided this,” he said.

The State, which has 65,38,111 electors, is currently under the Governor’s rule.

The State Assembly was dissolved following political instability after the PDP withdrew its support to the Congress-led Government in the wake of Amarnath land row. The span of Governor’s rule was to end on January 10, next year.

The CEC said that in view of the recent developments in the State, the Commission had a series of meetings with political parties, Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta and senior civil and police officers.

The Centre has assured the Commission that adequate number of contingents of Central police forces would be made available to ensure the safety, security and free movement of electors, candidates, leaders of political parties, polling personnel and guarding of polling materials and polling stations, he said.

The Election Commission has stated that it expects all officials engaged in the conduct of polls to discharge their duties in an impartial manner without any fear and favour, adding further that they shall be deemed to be on deputation to the Commission and shall be subject to its control, supervision and discipline. The officials will be under constant scrutiny of the Commission and strict action will be taken against those who are found wanting on any account.

There are a total of 8,109 polling stations in the State and for facilitating physically-challenged persons, instructions have been issued to ensure that all polling stations are located preferably at ground floor and ramps are also provided. Facilitation shall also be provided for locating the elector’s name against a polling station or a group of polling stations through help-lines and facilitation centres.

Based on the assessment of the ground situation, forces drawn from other States will be deployed during the forthcoming elections. These security personnel will be generally used for safeguarding the polling stations and for providing security to the electors and polling personnel at the polling stations on the polling day. Besides, these forces will be used for securing the strong rooms where the EVMs are stored and at the counting centres.

Pertinent to recall that the poll schedule for J&K was announced following the meeting of the Commission with the representatives of recognized National and State parties on 8th September at New Delhi. Thereafter, the Commission held parleys with State Chief Secretary and Director General of Police as well as the Union Home Secretary to assess the poll preparedness and security situation in the State on 10th September. Earlier this month, another round of meetings was held with the Advisors to the Governor on 7th October which was followed by a meeting of the Commission with the State Chief Secretary and the DGP.

The polls in the State will be conducted at all polling stations using EVMs for which the Commission has already made arrangements to ensure availability for smooth conduct of elections. A two-staged randomization of EVMs will be made. In the first stage, all the EVMs stored in the District Storage Centre will be randomized for allocation Assembly constituency wise. After the EVMs in a constituency are prepared for the poll by the Returning Officer and the ballot units are fitted with the ballot papers, then the EVMs will again be randomized to decide the actual polling stations in which they will be ultimately used. Both the randomization processes will be done in the presence of Observers and Candidates of their election agents.

Besides, the Election Commission has already given instructions that no election-related official or police officer of the rank of Sub Inspector and above shall be allowed to continue in his home district. Besides, instructions have also been issued that all the election-related officials including the police officials, who have completed three years in a district during last four years should be transferred out of the district.

The Election Commission has also instructed the State Government not to associate any officer with the electoral process against whom charges have been framed in a court of law in any case.

For the protection of SC/ST electors, as per Section 3(1) (vii) of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, whoever, not being a member of a Scheduled caste or Scheduled Tribe, forces or intimidates a member of SC or ST not to vote or to vote to a particular candidate or to vote in a manner than that provided by law shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to five years and with fine. The Commission has asked the State Government to bring these provisions to the notice of all concerned for prompt action.

The Election Commission has further stated that the poll schedule has been prepared after taking into account all relevant aspects like the climatic conditions, academic schedules, festivals, prevailing law and order situation and availability of Central Police Forces, besides assessment of other ground realities. (Agencies)

Polling schedule

Following is the list of ten Assembly constituencies going to polls in Phase-1.

Assembly Constituency District Region.

1. Gurez Bandipora Kashmir 2. Bandipora Bandipora Kashmir 3. Sonawari Bandipora Kashmir

4. Nobra Leh Ladakh5. Leh Leh Ladakh 6. Kargil Kargil Ladakh 7. Zanskar Kargil Ladakh

8. Surankote Poonch Jammu 9. Mendhar Poonch Jammu 10. Poonch-Haveli Poonch Jammu

Following is the list of six Assembly constituencies going to polls in Phase-2.

Assembly Constituency District Region.

1. Kangan Ganderbal Kashmir2. Ganderbal Ganderbal Kashmir 3. Nowshera Rajouri Jammu

4. Darhal Rajouri Jammu 5. Rajouri Rajouri Jammu 6. Kalakote Rajouri Jammu

Following is the list of five Assembly constituencies going to polls in Phase-3.

Assembly Constituency District Region.

1. Karnah Kupwara Kashmir 2. Kupwara Kupwara Kashmir 3. Lolab Kupwara Kashmir

4. Handwara Kupwara Kashmir 5. Langate Kupwara Kashmir

Following is the list of eighteen Assembly constituencies going to polls in Phase-4.

Assembly Constituency District Region.

1. Uri Baramulla Kashmir 2. Rafiabad Baramulla Kashmir 3. Sopore Baramulla Kashmir

4. Sangrama Baramulla Kashmir 5. Baramulla Baramulla Kashmir 6. Gulmarg Baramulla Kashmir

7. Pattan Baramulla Kashmir 8. Chadoora Budgam Kashmir 9. Budgam Budgam Kashmir

10. Beerwah Budgam Kashmir 11. Khansahib Budgam Kashmir 12. Chrar-i-Sharief Budgam Kashmir

13. Gulabgarh Reasi Jammu 14. Reasi Reasi Jammu 15. Gool Arnas Reasi Jammu

16. Udhampur Udhampur Jammu 17. Chenani Udhampur Jammu 18. Ramnagar Udhampur Jammu

Following is the list of eleven Assembly constituencies going to polls in Phase-5.

Assembly Constituency District Region.

1. Tral Pulwama Kashmir 2. Pampore Pulwama Kashmir 3. Pulwama Pulwama Kashmir

4. Rajpora Pulwama Kashmir 5. Wachi Shopian Kashmir 6. Shopian Shopian Kashmir

7. Bani Kathua Jammu 8. Basohli Kathua Jammu 9. Kathua Kathua Jammu

10. Billawar Kathua Jammu 11. Hiranagar Kathua Jammu

Following is the list of sixteen Assembly constituencies going to polls in Phase-6.

Assembly Constituency District Region.

1. Noorabad Kulgam Kashmir 2. Kulgam Kulgam Kashmir 3. Home-shalibugh Kulgam Kashmir

4. Anantnag Anantnag Kashmir 5. Devsar Kulgam Kashmir 6. Dooru Anantnag Kashmir

7. Kokernag Anantnag Kashmir 8. Shangus Anantnag Kashmir 9. Bijbehara Anantnag Kashmir

10. Pahalgam Anantnag Kashmir 11. Kishtwar Kishtwar Jammu 12. Inderwal Kishtwar Jammu

13. Doda Doda Jammu 14. Bhaderwah Doda Jammu 15. Ramban Ramban Jammu

16. Banihal Ramban Jammu

Following is the list of twenty-one Assembly constituencies going to polls in Phase-7.

Assembly Constituency District Region.

1. Hazratbal Srinagar Kashmir 2. Zadibal Srinagar Kashmir 3. Idgah Srinagar Kashmir

4. Khanyar Srinagar Kashmir 5. Habbakadal Srinagar Kashmir 6. Amirakadal Srinagar Kashmir

7. Sonawar Srinagar Kashmir 8. Batamaloo Srinagar Kashmir 9. Samba Samba Jammu

10. Vijaypur Samba Jammu 11. Nagrota Jammu Jammu 12. Gandhinagar Jammu Jammu

13. Jammu East Jammu Jammu 14. Jammu West Jammu Jammu 15. Bishnah Jammu Jammu

16. R S Pura Jammu Jammu 17. Suchetgarh Jammu Jammu 18. Marh Jammu Jammu

19. Raipur Domana Jammu Jammu 20. Akhnoor Jammu Jammu 21. Chhamb Jammu Jammu (PTI)

Malaysia bans hindu organisation

 MALAYSIA BANS HINDU ORGANISATION

Hindu rights action force(HINDRAF) has been banned by Malaysian government which is predominantly muslim.

Hindraf came into international focus after it organized a massive rally on November 25 last year to protest alleged marginalisation of the ethnic Indian minority in this country.Malaysian home minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said”The ministry found the organisation’s activities contravened the Societies Act 1966 and if left unchecked, the organisation could pose a threat to public order, peace, security and morality in Malaysia,” he said, adding that even the sovereignty of the country and prevailing racial harmony would be jeopardised.

More than 20,000 people attended the rally, which was branded as illegal by the government. The large participation took the Abdullah Badawi government by shock. A large section of the ethnic Indians supported the Hindraf as they felt that the Malaysian Indian Congress, led by Samy Vellu, had done little to uplift the community over the past several decades

Here is a copy of recent press statement by Hindraf chairman-WAYTHA MURTHY

PRESS STATEMENT

RE: COWARDLY ACT BY THE UMNO LED GOVERNMENT TO SUPPRESS AND OPPRESS MALAYSIAN INDIAN MINORITY

Declaring Hindraf as an illegal organization will in any case not banish the spirit that created Hindraf . Hindraf represents a very deep feeling experienced in the hearts and souls of millions of Indians both locally and Internationally.

This dastardly and ludicrous attempt by the Home minister to declare HINDRAF as an illegal organisation clearly indicates that the UMNO led government is at the end of their wit and shows that Malaysia is indeed a police state under the pretext of democracy.

The UMNO led government continued use of the sanctity of illegitimate laws such as ISA, Sedition Act, and now the Societies Act with their predatory acts against HINDRAF is a desperate attempt to silence legitimate voice of democracy.

The UMNO led government enjoys demonizing and bullying us on the pretext of law, public order, National security when all we are fighting for is to address the true and real condition of the downtrodden Malaysian Indians who have been systematically marginalized, suppressed and oppressed.

The UMNO government is not able to understand the phenomenon of Hindraf. Hindraf represents the Indian commoner, the hard working oily faced man who is made fun of in the streets, the man who people step on, the man who walks past you yet you notice him not. These are the people whom Hindraf represents – the marginalized and downtrodden Indians. They all do not wither away with this illegal declaration. The Government obviously has a primitive understanding of the situation, they cannot see a genuine problem within a significant section of the Malaysian society.

Look at the annals of history – when the people begin to demand what is truly theirs no governing elite have been able to stop them – take the French revolution, the American revolution, the anti-colonial and liberation movements through the first half of the 20th century and then the liberation of Africa in the late 20th century culminating in the abolition of apartheid in South Africa.

HNDRAF is peoples’ mass movement that seeks the moral and spiritual truth for the oppressed Malaysian Indians against the tyranny of the UMNO led government.

HINDRAF’s movement has raised the self worth of every individual in Malaysia and demand that the dignity and equality for each and every Malaysian cannot be abandoned and diluted for the glory of the UMNO led government whose only intention is to stir racial tension and maintain their status quo.

HINDRAF will not flinch with these threats and will continue its struggle against the UMNO regime in Malaysia as we can no longer be cowed nor are we any longer afraid. It is the people’s mass movement for moral and spiritual truth on the basis of humanity against the tyranny of the current ruling government.

It is only fair for the Prime Minister to advise his Home Minister to revoke the order.

Waytha Moorthy
HINDRAF – CHAIRMAN

 

 

 

jet airways lays off 1000 employees

Jet Airways has laid off up to 1,000 employees to rationalise its operations. Indian aviation inustry is one of the badly hit industries, due to economic slowdown which has hit almost every country directly or indirectly..Recently jet airways headed by Naresh goyal joined hands with Vijay mallayas kingfisher airlines and together they control 60% market share.

Earlier while announcing the alliance, both Goyal and Mallya had said that the coming together was in tune with the global practice of reducing killing costs and clarified that there was no equity involvement.The entire force of unconfirmed staff is being laid off on a 30-day compensation package..The airline is laying off employees from the cabin crew, pilots, ground staff, airport services and management departments.
This is the third time that Jet Airways is cutting its workforce. After acquiring Air Sahara in 2007, the carrier had cut staff by 1,200 and in August 2008 JetLite offered a voluntary separation scheme to over 700 employees. In September, Kingfisher Airlines had pruned 300 jobs, of which five percent were from Kingfisher Airlines, and the rest were from the erstwhile Simplify Deccan. Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways have a combined strength of around 19,000 employees with 189 aircraft for 927 domestic and 82 international flights.
The alliance would work together on seven fronts, including route and code sharing as also sharing of crew, a move that would help them cut exorbitant cost that had been putting enormous pressures for the last 4-6 years.

DATE:17/10/08

Jet airways has reinstated its sacked employees.jet airways had laid off 1000 workers…

this decision came after pressure was built by the laid off employees,the media and politicians…

militants in j&k are terrorists-ZARDARI

Declaring that India is not a “threat” to his country, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has described the militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir as “terrorists”, the first such admission by any top Pakistani leader.

“India has never been a threat to Pakistan. I, for one, and our democratic Government is not scared of Indian influence abroad,” Zardari told ‘Wall Street Journal’ in an interview

He spoke of the militant groups operating in Kashmir as “terrorists,” the paper said noting that former President Pervez Musharraf would more likely have called them “freedom fighters.”

Indicating a major shift in Pakistan’s well known position, Zardari had, as chief of Pakistan People’s Party, said in March that the ties between two countries should not be held “hostage” to the Kashmir issue, which should be left for future generations to decide, raising hackles at home.

The latest positive signals from Zardari come days fater his maiden meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on the sidelines of UN General Assembly meeting.

Replying to a question, Zardari said he had no objection to the India-US nuclear deal so long as Pakistan is treated “at par.”

“Why would we grudge the largest democracy in the world getting friendly with one of the oldest democracy?” he said.

Asked whether he would consider a free-trade agreement with India, the paper said he responded with a “string of welcome, perhaps even historic, surprises.”

While seeking better ties with New Delhi, he noted that “there is no other economic survival for nations like us. We have to trade with our neighbours first.”

About Pakistan’s economic crisis-the central bank has about two months’ worth of foreign currency reserves left to pay for the country’s imports of oil and food-Zardari said he looks to the world to “give me USD 100 billion.”

The paper says he imagines Pakistani cement factories being constructed to provide for India’s huge infrastructure needs, Pakistani textile mills meeting Indian demand for blue jeans, Pakistani ports being used to relieve the congestion at Indian ones.

Against the backdrop of the US-Pakistan row over the cross-border raids in the restive tribal belt by coalition forces from Afghanistan, Zardari said “I am an American friend” and admitted that the US is carrying out Predator missile strikes on the Pakistani soil with his Government’s consent, the paper reported.

“We have an understanding, in the sense that we’re going after an enemy together,” he said.

“I am not going to fall for this position that it’s an unpopular thing to be an American friend. I am an American friend,” he said.

About the Pakistani security forces firing on the US aircraft, he said it was merely an incident, “and while incidents do happen, they are not important.”

Zardari also acknowledged the problem that had bedevilled past efforts at US-Pakistani cooperation, particularly in intelligence sharing: the widely held suspicion that Pakistani intelligence services continue to cooperate with, and even arm, the Taliban.

“You know, you keep an uglier alternative around so that you may not be asked to leave,” he said, in reference to allegations that while Musharraf was fighting Islamic radicals with one hand, he was protecting them with the other.

Zardari refused to go into further detail other than to say he “solved the problem”. The head of ISI Nadeem Taj was replaced this week by Ahmad Shuja Pasha. (PTI)

Kashmir Ki Pukar-real reasons!!!!!!

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information from Pakistan that the government of the North Western Frontier Province has banned the booklet on Kashmir titled “Kashmir Ki Pukar” (loud voice of Kashmir) on October 21 by issuing an official notification. The writer was informed through telephone calls that if he enters the province he will face dire consequences, including loss of his life. The writer is receiving threatening calls at his home and to his mobile phone insisting that he denounce the book and make an apology in public, otherwise his family will not be safe. The writer says that most of the calls are from the officials of Pakistan secret services (ISI). When the writer made a phone call to the number from which he was receiving the threats no one answers the call. Even if it was answered by chance, there is just an announcement telling that this number is not in use. The police have not yet registered the author’s complaint of being threaten yet.
CASE DETAILS:

Mr. Arif Malik is a prominent journalist from Mirpur, the capital city of the Pakistan territory of Kashmir and has worked in several leading newspaper companies in different cities of the country. He is the editor of monthly magazine “Bharosa” in Mirpur, which was closed down after the ban on his booklet was announced by the government. The book “Kashmir Ki Pukar” (the loud voice of Kashmir) was largely circulated in Pakistan and it has given a different view about Kashmir’s stand with the Pakistani government and holy war in Kashmir on the both sides of India and Pakistan.

The writer criticised the Muslim religious Parties and their leaders about their role in holy wars in the book. Mr. Malik accused the government of Pakistan that it had treated Pakistani side of Kashmir as its colony, not as an independent state and claimed that Pakistani Kashmir is run by the ministry of interior of Pakistan. Although Pakistan Kashmir has a parliament, the elected members all have close connections to the government of Pakistan and the military intelligence service including the ISI.

He also pointed out the role of the ISI in the holy war against India by referring to several examples from the past. The audacious greediness of religious fundamentalist parties and its leadership was also criticised by him in the book and he pointed out the privileges that those people had been enjoying over the propaganda that they made during the war, urging youths in the country to sacrifice their lives for the holy war.

In the book he also pointed out a cynicism towards the two-faced attitudes of the religious parties that once fought against Pakistan government for the rights of people in the Kashmir territory and called the youth to sacrifice their life for the so called “holy war” against the imperialism of the United States. The religious parties now are catering to the extremist Pakistani government.  

The writer, Mr. Arif Malik is now facing threats to his life since his book was published. He tried to register the report to the police however the Mirpur police station refused to register the case. Instead the police officials said this is a high profile matter so that only high officials in the rank of Superintendent Police can register this type of case. The writer is receiving continuous threats, not only from fundamentalists groups but also from the army, particularly from the ISI. Mr. Malik and his family cannot move about freely after they started to receive threats and now they are taking shelter in different places. The government of NWFP instructed the police in the province to arrest the writer when they find him in the province.

BACKGROUND INFROMATION:

The government of North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) is purely Islamic fundamentalist and the members are from Islamic religious groups who had started a holy war after the intervention of USSR in Afghanistan in 1980.

The fundamentalist religious parties have won the elections in NWFP in 2002 as an alliance group called Muttehda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). This alliance has also won several seats in different assemblies including National Assembly. In 2002 MMA formed a government in NWFP and announced the Islamic system by introducing the Hisba bill (accountability bill) that allows district Islamic officers to monitor the religious conviction and practice of Islam of all citizens.
SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write letters to the concerned authorities and urge them to provide protection for the life of Mr. Arif Malik and his family and take necessary actions to stop the intimidation and take legal action against the perpetrators. Please also demand the governments of NWFP and Pakistan to respect the freedom of speech and movement within the country as it has been guaranteed in constitution of Pakistan that meets the international human rights standards.