Rally against emergency outside 10 Downing Street

By M. Ziauddin

LONDON, Nov 10: A large gathering of over a couple of thousand people held a protest rally here on Saturday in front of 10 Downing Street demanding President General Musharraf to immediately step down and make way for the revival of democratic process in Pakistan.

The nearly three-hour long rally which was led by Ms Hina Jilani of HRCP from the platform of Campaign against Martial Law (CAML), a group of UK students, lawyers, journalists and civil society activists was also joined by Shahbaz Sharif of PML (N), Wajid Shamsul Hasan of the PPP and Jemima Khan of Therik-i-Insaf.

Ms Jemima Khan had come along with her mother and two sons who are spitting image of Ms Khan. The four for a time attracted the media limelight with photographers to capture their pictures on their cameras and journalists trying to get them to give sound and video bites.

Later, a five-member delegation led by Ms Jilani and comprising Jemima Khan, Nadir Cheema, Bilal Rana and Anita Mir submitted a petition at the 10 Downing Street.

The petition demanded that the UK government use its influence in Islamabad to make Musharraf lift the emergency, restore the Constitution, release all political prisoners, reinstate the superior judiciary as it was on November 2 and hold free, fair and transparent elections.

The rally was addressed by Lord Sarwar and Shahbaz Sharif. They demanded transparent elections and a level-playing field for all. Mr Sharif said PML chief Nawaz Sharif should be allowed to return to Pakistan and participate in elections.

The workers of the PML (N) and Theirk-i-Istaqlal had joined the protest rally in good numbers and were waving their party flags and shouting ‘Nawaz Sharif Zindabad’, ‘Shahbaz Sharif Zindabad’, ‘Imran Khan Zinbdabad.

Many of the participants of the rally appeared to be ordinary Britons of Pakistani origin. Many had come with their families.






Dawn 11/Nov/07