The Mediators, a group of leading politicians, journalists, lawyers and numerous civil society organisations, have welcomed the National Security Committee’s decision to “resolve all the political issues through dialogue as per democratic norms instead of indulging in confrontation”.
While rejecting the decision to try the civilians under Army Act or Official Secret Act, they endorsed the HRCP’s plea to follow the due process under Article 10A of the Constitution and in civil courts.
Condemning all forms of violence, vandalism and hate-mongering, The Mediators called for serious introspection about the rage and massive passionate indignation of the youth in the Punjab and KP.
The group called for an independent and credible inquiry into the 9 May mayhem and prosecution of the alleged culprits through a credible judicial process and also an investigation into a big security lapse in handling miscreants. They also called upon the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the Shehbaz government and the Parliament to show understanding and restraint and facilitate the Election Commission of Pakistan in announcing a schedule for the next General Elections to all assemblies on the same date, not exceeding the current tenure of assemblies, and ensure free and fair franchise in consultation with all political stakeholders.
The mediators expressed their concern over new curbs on social media and censorship of electronic media. It demanded the release of all those not involved in violence, the women and journalists in particular.
The joint statement is signed by over 150 leading personalities, including Senator Raza Rabbani, Senator Mushahid Hussain, Nafeesa Shah MNA, President BNP Akhtar Mengal MNA, Mehmood Khan Achakzai President PKMAP, Mohsin Dawar MNA, Farhatullah Babar PPP, Akhtar Hussain President AWP, Farooq Tariq President HKM and others. Economists: Dr Hafeez Paska, Dr Akmal Hussain, Dr Pervaiz Tahir, Dr Kaiser Bengali, Former Vice Chancellor GC Hassan Shah, Dr Nayyar, Prof Sarfraz. Bar representative: Chairman Pakistan Bar Council Hassan Raza Pasha, Akhtar Hussain, member judicial commission, Abid Saqi, Sabahat Rizvi and other office-bearers of bar associations. Senior Journalists: Zahid Hussain, Imtiaz Alam, Safma, Hussain Naqi, Sohail Warraich, Mujeebur Rehman Shami, Talat Hussain, Azhar Abbas, Asma Shirazi, Kazim Khan President CPNE, Jabbar Khattak, Afzal But, President PFUJ, Nasir Zaidi, Shehzada Zulfikar, mohammed Waleed, Allama Siddique Azhar, Tanzeela Mazhar and over 50 others. Civil Society organisations: Mohammed Tehseen, SAP, mohammed Ayub NP, Khawar Mumtaz WAF, Sheema Kirmani, Tehreek I Niswan, Irfan Mufti, Joint Action Committee, Peter Jaccob, Karamat, PILAR, President National Trade Union, and leading activists of human rights among others.
