Police swarm Karachi, two opposition activists shot dead - AFP
Pakistan Police Block Opposition Party Rally - Reuters
Karachi tense ahead of protest -- BBC South Asia

POLICE AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE PREVENTING GENERAL PUBLIC FROM ATTENDING THE MQM RALLY AT BURNS ROAD IN KARACHI, PAKISTAN

3 September 1999

Pakistan time: 6.29 p.m.
Mr. Altaf Hussain, MQM Founder and Leader, has started his telephonic address from London to the MQM Rally, which has turned now to a massive public gathering. He said that a time will come when Nawaz Sharif and his political agent Ghaus Ali Shah will be standing the peoples court to answer for all the victimisation and highhandedness committed against peaceful citizens. He appealed to the police and other law enforcement agencies not to obey the illegal and unconsitutional orders of the Federal Government and its political agents. He also appealed to the police not to become a party with the MQM on the instructions of Government. He said that ordinary policemen are our brothers and we do not have any enemity towards them. At this moment he sent his best regards to all the on duty policemen.

Refering to the peaceful strike of 4 September 1999, Mr. Altaf Hussain appealed to all the peaceful citizens to remain within their homes and protest against the atrocities committed against the Mohajirs in particular and people of Sindh in general.

Pakistan time: 6.15 p.m.
Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh, Deputy Convenor of MQM Co-ordination Committee, has started his speech to the Rally. Despite of the unannounced curfew imposed by the provincial administration, thousands upon thousands of people are joining MQM Rally.

Pakistan time: 6 p.m.
Dr. Farooq Sattar, Parliamentary Leader of the MQM in the Sindh Assembly, is making his address to Public Rally at Burns Road, Karachi.

Pakistan time: 5.50 p.m.
Despite of all the hurdles and highhandedness of the Government of Nawaz Sharif the MQM Leaders have started to address the public rally. In the beginning Senator Nasreen Jalil (Mrs) made her address.

Pakistan time: 5.30 p.m.
All the buildings at Burns Road have been locked so that people could not join the MQM Rally. Nearly one square mile area around Burns Road, Karachi have been under unannounced curfew. All the shops and public places have been forcibly closed by the police on the instruction of Nawaz Sharif Government.

Pskistan time 4.45 p.m.
Today, according to latest information, heavy contingent of police and other law enforcement agencies have sealed the entire area of Burns Road in Karachi to sabotage the public rally of Muttahida Quami Movement. Police and other law enforcement agencies have resorted to heavy indiscriminate firing to harass the residents of the area and the participants of the Rally coming from all over the province. Several MQM workers and supporters have been arrested so far. MQM leaders, elected representatives, workers and supporters are being prevented from entering into the area. Deputy Convenors of MQM, Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh and Senator Nasreen Jalil (Mrs) are not being allowed to enter into the area. Similarly, Dr. Farooq Sattar, Parliamentary Leader of the MQM in the Sindh Assembly along with other elected representatives have been stopped from reaching the main assembly point of the public rally at Burns Road in Karachi. The police have blocked all the entrances towards Burns Road with barricades so that no vehicle could enter the area.

This act of the Government clearly indicates the autocratic and totalitarian attitude of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. To force the peaceful citizens of Sindh in general and Mohajirs in particular from participating in the public rally tantamount to the denial of their fundamental rights to freedom of speech and assembly. The Federal Government through its agent for the province of Sindh, Mr. Ghaus Ali Shah, is bent upon using all the state apparatus to forcibly disperse, harass and intimidate the peaceful citizens.

MQM had announced to hold public rally at the Fresco Chowk, Burns Road in Karachi today in continuation with its peaceful protest against the atrocities and highhandedness of the Government of Nawaz Sharif against the Mohajir Nation. Furthermore, MQM has also called to observe peaceful strike on 4 September 1999. More than 350 MQM leaders, office bearers, workers and supporters have been murdered since Nawaz Sharif became Prime Minister in 1997.