Thousands of individuals have signed an online petition demanding urgent action against the human rights violations in Pakistan in light of the violence at PTI rally in Lahore, and police baton-charging marchers at Aurat March in Islamabad.
According to the details, the Change.org petition was started by a citizen named Sadaf Zuberi and is being widely shared by PTI leaders on social media, who are urging netizens to sign it.
The petition, titled,” Urgent Appeal for Action against Human Rights Violations in Pakistan” needs 10,000 signatures and has already reached over 8000.
Read more: Chaotic scenes in Lahore as police use force against PTI workers
The petition is also an open letter to Members of the UN Human Rights Committee, International Court of Justice, and Supreme Court of Pakistan, seeking justice and accountability regarding the gross human rights violations committed by the Pakistani state to suppress peaceful voices.
Urgent Appeal for Action against Human Rights Violations in Pakistan – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/Pw3KEnb5CN via @Change
— Farrukh Habib (@FarrukhHabibISF) March 9, 2023
Urgent Appeal for Action against Human Rights Violations in Pakistan – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/Hi8eUKrQYo via @Change
— Ali Haider Zaidi (@AliHZaidiPTI) March 9, 2023
Wednesday, ahead of the PTI election rally in Lahore, Punjab Home Department imposed Section 144 in the provincial capital banning all kinds of corner meetings, jalsa, public gatherings, and congregations in the areas for a period of seven days.
Despite Section 144, PTI launched its rally with hundreds taking part. As a result, the police began arresting PTI workers for violating Section 144. The situation escalated and a violent clash broke out between PTI workers and Lahore police.
The Lahore police used water cannons on the PTI workers and also smashed their cars’ mirrors. Several PTI workers were injured by the teargas shelling. One PTI worker was also killed.
Meanwhile, in Islamabad, the cops of capital city police on Wednesday baton-charged the participants of the Aurat March who attempted to storm into a no-go area. The area outside National Press Club turned into a battlefield when the protestors of the Aurat March made advancement to the area blocked by police by placing barbed wires and other barricades.
Read more: UN demands probe into killing of PTI worker by police torture
The cops having sticks in their hands started beating the participants of the Aurat March in order to push them behind the barricades placed by the police to stop marchers from entering a no-go area. Clips of the violent incident surfaced on social media showing the cops first tried to prevent the feminist activists from barging into the restricted area which prompted a heated debate.