Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA

RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE

Research Response Number: PAK31725 Country: Date: 10 May 2007

Keywords: PAK31725 – Pakistan – International Human Rights Commission – Demonstration in on 13 November 2006 – Group

This response was prepared by the Country Research Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Questions 1. Please provide information about the International Human Rights Commission. 2. Does an organisation called the International Human Rights Commission operate in Pakistan? If so, please provide information on its activities in Pakistan. 3. Is there any record of a demonstration in Lahore on 13/11/06? 4. If so, is there any evidence of involvement by members of the International Human Rights Commission or the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Sharif group in such a demonstration? 5. Please provide information on the history, policies and activities of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Sharif Group. 6. Deleted.

RESPONSE

1. Please provide information about the International Human Rights Commission. 2. Does an organisation called the International Human Rights Commission operate in Pakistan? If so, please provide information on its activities in Pakistan.

No information has been located on “International Human Rights Commission” based in Oslo, Norway in a search through the sources consulted. However, sources indicate that an organisation called “International Human Rights Commission” operates in Pakistan.

An Internet site entitled Guide to NGOs in Pakistan lists a body called “International Human Rights Commission”. Its main office is listed as in Lahore, Punjab (‘Guide to NGOs in Pakistan’ 2007, Net-NGO, com website http://www.net- ngo.com/nexrecord.cfm?record=240&category=Human%20Rights – Accessed 3 May 2007 – Attachment 1). Another site The Human Rights Databank gives details of “International Human Rights Commission” as follows:

Address: 166 Garden Block, Garden Town, Lahore-Pakistan Lahore & Pakistan 74000 Year of establishment: 1988

Phone number: 0092-300-2256390

Fax number: 0092-42-5863835

Number of staff: 188

Introduction: The International Human Rights Commission founded in 1988 by the 7 NGOS for the protection of Human Rights as the International Organization.

Background: The IHRC issued reports on human rights and all reports are available on our websites. www.ihrcr.org, www.ihrcs.org

Objectives: To protect the Human Rights and work with all International and regional organization and NGO’s

Activities:

• Human Rights Awards

• Yearly Reports

• Conferences

• Workshops

• Seminers

• Advocating the HR

• World Peace

• To Promote the UN and UDHR

Serial publications: Reports on Human Rights 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 Human Rights Magzine Websites: www.ihrcs.org

Operational Level: International

Government status: Non-Governmental

Organization Type(s): Advocacy, Human Rights Organization, Federation/Union

Events hosted by this organization: WORLD CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS & PEACE 2003

Countries that this organization works in: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, China, Congo, Democratic Republic of the, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Egypt, Fiji, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Islamic Republic of, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of, Kosovo, Lebanon, Malaysia, , Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Nothern Ireland, Pakistan, Palestinian Territory, Occupied, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, , Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, , Uruguay, Venezuela Issues this organization deals with: Annual Human Rights Reports, Annual Reports (Defenders), Association (freedom of), Asylum, Basic needs, right to adequate living standards, poverty, Children, Children (Rights of), Children (Street Children), Civil Liberties/Civil rights, Communications and the Media, Constitutional Law, Culture (right to), Democratic Rights, Education (right to), Election Monitoring, Equality rights/discrimination, Freedom of expression, freedom of speech, opinion, Freedom of Movement, freedom of residence, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of the Press / Media, Gender, Genocide, Globalization and Human Rights, Human Rights (General), Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights Documentation, Human Rights Monitoring, Human Rights Movements, Human Rights Reporting, Implementation of HR Standards (Internationally), Information (Right to), International Criminal Court (ICC), Internet and Human Rights, Juvenile Justice, Legal Rights, rule of law, Minorities, Minority Rights, NGOs, Peace, Police, Prisoners Rights, Racism, Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Regional Reports, Reports on Armed Conflict, Right to Assembly, Slavery, Torture, United Nations, War/Peace/Conflict, Women, Womens Rights, Youth

Languages used by this organization: English

Homepage: http://www.ihrcs.org

Email Address: [email protected]

Parent organization: International Commission of Jurists (Switzerland) (‘International Human Rights Commission’ (undated), The Human Rights Databank http://www.hri.ca/organizations/viewOrg.asp?ID=11057 – Accessed 3 May 2007 – Attachment 2)

Another website carried by geocities.com introduces “Official Website of the International Human Rights Commission”. It mainly reports on the activities of the “IHRC chief ambassador Dr. Muhammad Shahid Amin Khan” (‘International Human Rights Commission’ (undated), geocities.com website http://www.geocities.com/ihrc_org/?20073 – Accessed 4 May 2007 – Attachment 3). Another site carried by geocities.com reports that “IHRC Head Office starts working at London UK” (‘“WORLD CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS & PEACE “‘ (undated), geocities.com reports http://www.geocities.com/ihrc_org/index_3.html?20073 – Accessed 3 May 2007 Attachment 4)

The above-mentioned site The Human Rights Databank gives details of “International Commission of Jurists (Switzerland)” listed as the parent organization of “International Human Rights Commission” as follows:

International Commission of Jurists (Switzerland) (ICJ / CIJ / CIJ / CIJL /) Address: P.O. Box 216, 81 A Av. de Chatelaine Geneva Switzerland CH – 1219 Year of establishment: 1952

Phone number: (41-22) 979-3800

Fax number: (41-22) 979-3801; (41-22) 979-3824

Number of staff: 1 Introduction: The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), founded in 1952, works to promote the understanding and observance of the rule of law as well as the promotion and legal protection of human rights throughout the world. A special focus is the interdependence and interrelation of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights under the Rule of Law. The ICJ has a network of independent national sections and affiliated legal organizations around the world. It created Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL) in 1978 to promote and protect the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession and monitor and endeavour to protect the human rights of persons working in legal professions.

Background: The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) was founded in 1952 to promote the understanding and observance of the rule of law throughout the world. It is an international, non-governmental organisation whose global goal is to support and advance those principles of justice which constitute the basis of the Rule of Law and assist and encourage those peoples to whom the Rule of Law is denied.

Objectives: The ICJ’s work “is devoted to the legal promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in all parts of the world. The Rule of Law is seen as a dynamic concept to be used to advance not only the classical civil and political rights of the individual, but also his economic, social and cultural rights, and to promote social and development policies under which members of the community in which he lives may realize their full potentiality.”

Activities: The ICJ promotes and protects the independence of the judiciary and legal profession, fair trials, and the abolition of the death penalty. It is committed to a legal, rights- based approach to development and social justice issues. The ICJ seeks to empower civil society and other target groups to ensure that all peoples are free from abuse, deprivation and discrimination and are assured a life of dignity in which all have the freedom to develop and realise one’s human potential. Particular emphasis is given to assisting the more vulnerable in society including women, minorities and migrants and those who struggle for justice (human rights defenders). The ICJ achieves its mission by: (1) Influencing policy makers, in particular at the UN and regional intergovernmental organisations for effective standard setting and the observance of human rights norms, (2) organising seminars and training workshops to empower target groups, (3) fact-finding missions to highlight situations adversely affecting the Rule of Law, (4) trial observations to assess the fairness of trials, (5) promotion and monitoring of human rights mechanisms, preparation of amicus curiae and legal opinions to build and strengthen human rights jurisprudence, (6) training of young jurists in the human rights field, (7) publishing research and studies, and (8) networking and solidarity building with civil society and victims of human rights violations.

Serial publications: ICJ Review (2/year, in English, French and Spanish) ICJ Newsletter (quarterly, in English)

Publications: Numerous other reports, studies, and proceedings of ICJ conferences, workshops and seminars. Recent reports and studies include: Sri Lanka: A Mounting Tragedy of Errors (1984); The Philippines: Human Rights After Martial Law (1984); Torture and Intimidation in the West Bank (1985); The Return to Democracy in Sudan (1986); Indonesia and the Rule of Law (1987); Pakistan: Human Rights After Martial Law (1987); South Korea: Human Rights in the Emerging Politics (1987); Yearbook (January 1992)

Operational Level: International

Government status: Non-Governmental

Organization Type(s): Legal/Judicial Countries that this organization works in: , Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Channel Islands (UK), Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Congo, Democratic Republic of the, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guinea, Guyana, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iran, Islamic Republic of, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Lithuania, Macao Special Administrative Region of China, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mayotte, Micronesia, Federated States of, Monaco, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Niger, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Nothern Ireland, Pakistan, Palestinian Territory, Occupied, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Pitcairn, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Virgin Islands (British), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Yemen, Zambia, Dominica, East Timor, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, France, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Faroe Islands, Finland, French Guiana, French Southern Territories, Gambia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greenland, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Holy See, Hong Kong Special Administratic Region of China, Iceland, Indonesia, Iraq, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Korea, Republic of, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of, Malawi, Maldives, Malta, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Republic of, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nauru, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Réunion, Russian Federation, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, Somalia, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, United Republic of, Tibet, Tokelau, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands (United States), Western Sahara, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe

Services: Urgent Actions

Issues this organization deals with: Human Rights (General), Legal Rights, rule of law

Languages used by this organization: English, French, Spanish

MicroFiche number: 0088

Homepage: http://www.icj.org

Email Address: [email protected]

Organizations that this organization is the parent of:

• Nederlands Juristen Comite voor de Mensenrechten

• Comision Internacional de Juristas, Capitulo Centro-Americano • International Commission of Jurists, Australian Section

• Justice, Hong Kong Branch

• American Association for the International Commission of Jurists

• Comision Internacional de Juristas, Seccion de Nicaragua

• Comison Internacional de Juristas, Capitulo de Guayaquil

• International Commission of Jurists – Canadian Section

• Centre for Governance and Development

• International Human Rights Commission • JUSTICE (UK) (‘International Commission of Jurists (Switzerland)’ (undated), The Human Rights Databank http://www.hri.ca/organizations/viewOrg.asp?ID=66 – Accessed 4 May 2007 – Attachment 5)

As to the activities undertaken by IHRC in Pakistan, a few reports have been sighted although all of them are not necessarily referring to its “activities” in Pakistan. The first of the two reports by “Pakistan Press International (Information Services)” comments on “a great honour for Pakistan” and “an extra ordinary gift by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) to the people of Pakistan” after it supposedly succeeded in securing an international conference to be held in Pakistan (‘IHRC meets Zarar Azeem’, 2003, Pakistan Press International Information Services, 16 November – Attachment 6). The second one speaks of a Punjab Minister addressing the annual meeting of the members of the International Human Rights Commission, Pakistan Chapter (‘HO – Ranjha addresses IHRC members’ 2001, Pakistan Press International, 23 February – Attachment 7).

Another report by ‘Press Trust of India’ comments that “International Human Rights Commission” was called to investigate the crimes committed during the 1971 war between Pakistan and Bangladesh (‘Hundreds Bangladeshi women languishing in Pakistani brothel’ 2002, Press Trust of India, 21 April 2002 – Attachment 8).

The last one by APP (that is seemingly the Associated Press of Pakistan, a Pakistani government media organization) reports on IHRC’s observation of the 2002 Pakistani elections and publication of a report on them (‘Elections were fair, says IHRC’ 2002, APP, website, 10 September http://www.dawn.com/2002/11/10/nat18.htm – Accessed 3 May 2007 – Attachment 9; ‘Brief History’ (undated), Associated Press of Pakistan, app.com website http://www.app.com.pk/Aboutus.htm – Accessed 3 May 2007 – Attachment 10).

Apart from the International Human Rights Commission, there is an organization called “International Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (IHRCP)”. Two reports refer to IHRCP. The first one of the two by “Pakistan Press International (Information Services)” comments on IHRCP condemning the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre (‘IHRC condemns terrorist attacks in USA’ 2001, Pakistan Press International, 29 September 2001 – Attachment 11) while the second one comments on an ex-Guantanamo Bay Prison detainee seeking assistance from IHRCP in receiving compensation (‘Guantanamo Bay released Pakistani seeks HR Organizations’ help’ 2003, Pakistan Press International Information Services, 25 July 2003 – Attachment 12).

In discussing the identity of and activities by the International Human Rights Commission, a serious doubt is raised on its soundness and parent organization “International Commission of Jurists (Switzerland)” as reported at the site as well as on the reliability of the reports on them. For instance, how a parent organization allegedly working in so many countries and with so many organizations under it can function with only one staff member? (See ‘International Commission of Jurists (Switzerland)’ (undated), The Human Rights Databank http://www.hri.ca/organizations/viewOrg.asp?ID=66 – Accessed 4 May 2007 – Attachment 5).

In its website, IHRC lists prominently the photos of the past and present Secretary General of the UN without any explanation on their relationship with it. It also introduces the wife (?) of Dr Muhammad Shahid Amin Khan, Chief of IHRC as “H.E.Mrs.Farah Shahid Amin Khan Frist Laday” (See ‘“WORLD CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS & PEACE “‘ (undated), geocities.com reports http://www.geocities.com/ihrc_org/index_3.html?20073 – Accessed 3 May 2007 – Attachment 4).

Furthermore, an article by findCE.com (“find-Speaker.com”) introduces Muhammad Shahid Amin Khan, Chief of IHRC as a public speaker on terrorism (‘Muhammad Shahid Amin Khan’ (undated), findCE.com website’ http://www.findce.com/fce/edObject.asp?SID=1&DisplayChosen=9151 – Accessed 3 May 2007 – Attachment 13).

3. Is there any record of a demonstration in Lahore on 13/11/06? 4. If so, is there any evidence of involvement by members of the International Human Rights Commission or the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Sharif group in such a demonstration?

In a search through the sources consulted, no report has been located that a demonstration took place on 13 November 2006 in Lahore.

However, a few Pakistani newspapers report that women’s rights activists and representatives of civil society organisations staged a demonstration in front of Parliament House on 15 November 2006 to denounce the government’s concession on the Women’s Protection Bill and to demand the total repeal of the Hudood Ordinances (‘SDPI in the Press’ 2006, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, 16 November http://www.sdpi.org/SDPI_in_the_press/related_material_nov_2006.htm#b – Accessed 7 May 2007 – Attachment 14).

The Bill was passed by the lower house of Parliament on 15 November 2006, not on 13 November 2006 (Human Rights Watch 2007, World Report: Pakistan http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/11/pakist14756.htm – Accessed 9 May 2007 – Attachment 15; ‘Strong feelings over Pakistan rape laws’ 2006, BBC, 15 November http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6152520.stm – Accessed 9 May 2007 – Attachment 16).

The Nation, The Post and Daily Times, three local newspapers listed as based in Lahore, Punjab (‘Pakistan Newspapers and News Media – Local’ 2007 http://www.abyznewslinks.com/pakis.htm – Accessed 9 May 2007 – Attachment 17) have been specifically checked to see if there was any small demonstrations. However, none of them carried any report of such demonstration on 13 November 2006 (The Nation dated 13 November 2006 http://nation.com.pk/daily/nov-2006/13/ – Accessed 7 May 2007 – Attachment 18; The Post dated 13 November 2006 http://www.thepost.com.pk/Back_Issues.aspx – Accessed 7 May 2007 – Attachment 19; Daily Times dated 13 November 2006 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?date=11%2F13%2F2006 – Accessed 9 May 2007 – Attachment 20).

5. Please provide information on the history, policies and activities of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Sharif Group.

While no comprehensive reports each addressing the history, policies and activities of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) Group have been found, the following articles give some background on the different aspects of the Group.

Political Parties of the World comments on the origin of the Pakistan Muslim League, and how one of its splinter factions, Nawaz Sharif Group came into being and has survived until now:

Pakistan Muslim League (PML) Leadership. (acting president of Nawaz group); Mian Azhar (leader of Quaid-i- Azam or LikeMinded group) The PML was established in 1962 as the successor to the pre-independence All-India Muslim League. It has long been beset by factional rivalries and divisions. By 1995, the PMLN (Nawaz group) was the largest factional element, headed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had been instrumental in the formation of the Islamic Democratic Alliance, which had won the 1990 federal elections. Following the October 1993 elections, in which it secured 73 National Assembly seats, the PML-N formed the core of the parliamentary opposition to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) administration. The PML-J (Junejo group), headed by Hamid Nasir Chattha and named after former Prime Minister Mohammed Khan Junejo (who died in 1993), won six seats in the 1993 federal polling and joined the PPP-led government in coalition. By contrast, in the 1997 elections the PML-N won 135 National Assembly seats and formed a new government under Nawaz Sharif, while the PML-J failed to retain a single seat and was reduced to a representation of just five members across the provincial assemblies of Punjab, North-West Frontier Province and Baluchistan. In 1998 a faction of the PML-J opted to return to the fold, merging with the PML-N. However, the PML-N itself then began to split: first, in reaction to Nawaz Sharif’s attempts to impose a personal dictatorship and, subsequently, following Sharif’s displacement by a military coup. A PML-Q (Quaidi-Azam), or PML-LM (Like-Minded) group, emerged in early 2001 under the leadership of Mian Azhar to offer broad support to General Musharraf’s new government. Since Nawaz Sharif’s trial, conviction and exile, effective leadership of the PML-N has passed to Javed Hashmi as acting president. The party formed an unlikely partnership with its bitter rival the PPP in the 15-party Alliance to Restore Democracy (ARD). In the October 2002 elections the PMLQA, dubbed the “King’s party”, emerged as the dominant faction, effectively eclipsing the PML-N, even in Nawaz Sharif’s electoral homeland of Punjab. Of the other factions of the party the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PMLF) secured five seats in the National Assembly, the PML-J won three seats, the PML-Zia won two seats and the PMLJinnah won one seat. On Oct. 30, 2003, PML-N acting president Javed Hashmi was arrested and later charged with inciting mutiny after displaying at a press conference letters, allegedly written by junior army officers, critical of President Musharraf (Bogdan Szajkowski (ed) 2005, Political Parties of the World, 6th Edition, John Harper Publishing, p 459 – Attachment 21. pp 455 – 457 give further details, especially on the group’s electoral fortunes).

The US Department of State describes the recent activities of the PML-N and the government’s response as follows:

• Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML N) leader Javed Hashmi remained in jail, sentenced to 27 years on sedition charges in 2004 after reading in the cafeteria of the National Assembly a letter critical of the military. His appeal was ongoing at year’s end. • On October 12 [2005], to protest General Musharraf’s coup against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML N) Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999, the PML N demonstrated in Karachi, Lahore and other cities. In Lahore, police charged the crowd with batons when they did not disperse. According to the Dawn and other newspapers, police injured 11 demonstrators and arrested others under section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order law. • In August 2004 the National Assembly elected the PML candidate, former finance minister , prime minister, although all opposition parties boycotted the vote because their candidate, PML N leader Javed Hashmi, was not allowed to appear at the assembly, having been convicted of sedition. • The government forced the PPP and PML N to elect in country leaders other than former prime ministers and Nawaz Sharif by refusing to register any parties whose leaders had a court conviction. The amended Political Parties Act bars any person from becoming prime minister for a third time, effectively eliminating Bhutto and Sharif (All the above reported by US Department of State 2007, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Pakistan, 6 March http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78874.htm – Accessed 9 May 2007 – Attachment 22).

Europa World Year Book – South Asia 2004 explains how the PML split into many factions as follows:

Pakistan Muslim League (PML): [founded in] 1906; in 1979 the party split into two factions, the pro-Zia Pagara Group and the Chatta Group (later renamed the Qasim Group, see below); the Pagara Group itself split into two factions when a group of army-supported Zia loyalists, known as the Fida Group, separated from the Junejo Group in August 1988; at the November 1988 general election, however, the Junejo Group and the Fida Group did not present rival candidates; by 2002 the PML had split into two main factions, one led by Mian MOHAMMAD NAWAZ SHARIF, known as the Nawaz Group (Pres. RAJA ZAFAR-UL-HAQ; Sec.-Gen. ANJAAM KHAN, and the other by Mian Mohammad AZHAR, known as the PML Quaid-e- Azam Group (Sec Gen. ZAFARULLAH KHAN JAMAIA); other factions of the PML were led by HAMID NASIR CHATTA, known as the Chatta League, and Functional PML, led by PIR PAGARA (Europa World Year Book – South Asia 2004, 2003, Europa Publications, London p 428 – Attachment 23).

A recent article carried by the Council on Foreign Relations reports on Nawaz Sharif’s political manoeuvre to form an opposition coalition by holding talks with his former political enemy as follows:

Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), who was deposed in 1999, casts a wary eye on the alleged Musharraf-Bhutto negotiations, calling the rumors of a deal between the two “very disturbing.” Sharif and Bhutto, former political enemies, began holding their own series of talks in 2006 in hopes of forming a democratic opposition coalition. Sharif has pledged to return to Pakistan before Bhutto and welcome her return (‘Pakistan’s Political Future’ 2007, Council on Foreign Relations website, 30 April http://www.cfr.org/publication/13160/ – Accessed 9 May 2007 – Attachment 24).

Asia Times reports that the PML-N played a major role in staging “the largest” political march in the history of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and on 9 March 2003 in protest against the government (‘Tightens his grip’ 2003, Asia Times, 13 March – Attachment 25).

A 1994 report gives an insight into the political orientation of the PML-N under Nawaz Sharif. It comments that:

General Ayub Khan formed a party called the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) in 1962, and Junejo established a party with the same name (PML-J) in 1986, but these two parties had little in common with the 1906-58 Muslim League in terms of their objectives and composition. After Junejo died in March 1993, Mian Nawaz Sharif took over the party and it became the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) for Nawaz Sharif. The death of Junejo signified the end to an uneasy coalition that had existed between the feudal lobby under Junejo and the representatives of the new industrialist classes who, under the guidance of Nawaz Sharif, were running the Islamic Democratic Alliance (--IJI) government of 1990-93 (‘Country Listing’ 1994 http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-9866.html – Accessed 9 May 2007 – Attachment 26).

To elaborate further Nawaz Sharif’s pro-business, Islamist and reformist outlook, Answers.com states that:

He took full advantage of his industrialist credentials, using a liberal reformist stance to attract votes from the business class… Pakistan’s transition to democracy was a difficult undertaking, but Sharif’s election proved a turning point. After having endured a long history of , Pakistan had elected a politician without roots among the country’s traditional power brokers, the landed aristocracy. Sharif’s election marked a major shift in Pakistan’s geopolitical balance of power toward a new generation of entrepreneurial elites.

Most of Sharif’s reforms were aimed at deregulating and liberalizing the economy. He quickly dismantled the socialist-style economy by selling off inefficient and bankrupt state enterprises, opening the stock market to foreign capital, and loosening foreign exchange restrictions. He took criticism for bold initiatives, such as providing unemployed youths easy installment loans to run duty-free imported taxis. Sharif also launched legislation that would make the Islamic code the supreme law of Pakistan (‘Nawaz Sharif’ (undated), Answers.com website http://www.answers.com/topic/nawaz-sharif – Accessed 9 May 2007 – Attachment 27).

6. Question deleted.

List of Sources Consulted Internet Sources: Government Information & Reports UK Home Office http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ US Department of State http://www.state.gov/ United Nations (UN) International News & Politics BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk Region Specific Links The Nation http://nation.com.pk/archive/ The Post http://www.thepost.com.pk/Back_Issues.aspx Daily Times http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?date=11%2F14%2F2006 Indian Government http://goidirectory.nic.in/ Search Engines Copernic http://www.copernic.com/

Databases: FACTIVA (news database) BACIS (DIMA Country Information database) REFINFORMATION (IRBDC (Canada) Country Information database) ISYS (RRT Country Research database, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, US Department of State Reports) RRT Library Catalogue

List of Attachments

1. ‘Guide to NGOs in Pakistan’ 2007, Net-NGO, com website. (http://www.net- ngo.com/nexrecord.cfm?record=240&category=Human%20Rights – Accessed 3 May 2007)

2. ‘International Human Rights Commission’ (undated), The Human Rights Databank. (http://www.hri.ca/organizations/viewOrg.asp?ID=11057 – Accessed 3 May 2007

3. ‘International Human Rights Commission’ (undated), geocities.com website. (http://www.geocities.com/ihrc_org/?20073 – Accessed 4 May 2007)

4. ‘“WORLD CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS & PEACE “‘ (undated), geocities.com reports. (http://www.geocities.com/ihrc_org/index_3.html?20073 – Accessed 3 May 2007)

5. ‘International Commission of Jurists (Switzerland)’ (undated), The Human Rights Databank. (http://www.hri.ca/organizations/viewOrg.asp?ID=66 – Accessed 4 May 2007

6. ‘IHRC meets Zarar Azeem’, 2003, Pakistan Press International Information Services, 16 November. (FACTIVA)

7. ‘HO – Ranjha addresses IHRC members’ 2001, Pakistan Press International, 23 February. (FACTIVA)

8. ‘Hundreds Bangladeshi women languishing in Pakistani brothel’ 2002, Press Trust of India, 21 April 2002.(FACTIVA)

9. ‘Elections were fair, says IHRC’ 2002, APP, DAWN website, 10 September. (http://www.dawn.com/2002/11/10/nat18.htm – Accessed 3 May 2007)

10. ‘Brief History’ (undated), Associated Press of Pakistan, app.com website (http://www.app.com.pk/Aboutus.htm – Accessed 3 May 2007)

11. ‘IHRC condemns terrorist attacks in USA’ 2001, Pakistan Press International, 29 September 2001. (FACTIVA)

12. ‘Guantanamo Bay released Pakistani seeks HR Organizations’ help’ 2003, Pakistan Press International Information Services, 25 July 2003. (FACTIVA)

13. ‘Muhammad Shahid Amin Khan’ (undated), findCE.com website’ (http://www.findce.com/fce/edObject.asp?SID=1&DisplayChosen=9151 – Accessed 3 May 2007)

14. ‘SDPI in the Press’ 2006, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, 16 November. (http://www.sdpi.org/SDPI_in_the_press/related_material_nov_2006.htm#b – Accessed 7 May 2007)

15. Human Rights Watch 2007, World Report 2007: Pakistan. (http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/11/pakist14756.htm – Accessed 9 May 2007)

16. ‘Strong feelings over Pakistan rape laws’ 2006, BBC, 15 November. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6152520.stm – Accessed 9 May 2007)

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18. 13 November 2006 version of The Nation.(http://nation.com.pk/daily/nov-2006/13/ – Accessed 7 May 2007)

19. 13 November 2006 version of The Post, (http://www.thepost.com.pk/Back_Issues.aspx – Accessed 7 May 2007)

20. 13 November 2006 version of Daily Times, (http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?date=11%2F13%2F2006 – Accessed 9 May 2007)

21. Szajkowski, Bogdan (ed) 2005, Political Parties of the World, 6th Edition, John Harper Publishing, p 459. (MRT/RRT Library)

22. US Department of State 2007, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Pakistan, 6 March. (http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78874.htm – Accessed 9 May 2007)

23. Europa World Year Book – South Asia 2004, 2003, Europa Publications, London p 428. (MRT/RRT Library)

24. ‘Pakistan’s Political Future’ 2007, Council on Foreign Relations website, 30 April. (CISNET Pakistan CX176402)

25. ‘Tightens his grip’ 2003, Asia Times, 13 March.

26. ‘Country Listing’ 1994, country –data.com website. (http://www.country-data.com/cgi- bin/query/r-9866.html – Accessed 9 May 2007)

27. ‘Nawaz Sharif’ (undated), Answers.com website http://www.answers.com/topic/nawaz- sharif – Accessed 9 May 2007)