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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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14 March 2009
URGENT ALERT: Pakistan – Demand an end to Pakistani military action that has caused the country its largest humanitarian crisis
Contents
1. Summary
2. Background
3. Action required
4. Sample letter
5. Addresses for sample letter
1. Summary
IHRC is gravely concerned about the escalating humanitarian crisis unfolding in northern Pakistan. IHRC asks campaigners to write either to the Pakistan High Commissioner or Ambassador in their country to demand an end to the futile military action that is the route cause of this humanitarian disaster.
2. Background
The Pakistani army’s military assault on militants started 2 weeks ago after the government, under pressure from the US, annulled the February agreement whereby it agreed to the introduction of Sharia law in the Swat district.
While the fighting started in Pakistan’s tribal areas located between the country’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and the border with Afghanistan, it has now spread South and East across the NWFP into what is known as the settled areas.
There is a growing humanitarian crisis in the NWFP, where hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing the government offensive against the militants. The UN has voiced major concerns for the protection of civilians and the grave problems being experienced by ordinary people as a result of the recent developments.
UNHRC reported that as of late Monday a total of 501, 496 displaced people have been formally registered since 02 May. This figure is likely to be only a fraction of the real total as most fleeing families choose to stay with relatives or friends rather than seek help. These hundreds of thousands of people are in dire need of basic necessities such as food and water, shelter, medical care and sanitation facilities.
3. Action required
Write either to the Pakistani High Commissioner or Ambassador in your country and demand an end to the futile military action that is the route cause of this humanitarian disaster. UK campaigners will find the appropriate address, fax and email on the sample letter below, and those in the Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Netherlands, South Africa, Turkey, and US can use that which is provided toward the end of the alert.
4. Sample letter
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If you receive a reply to the letter you send, we request you to send a copy of the letter you sent and the reply you received to IHRC. This is extremely important as it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with regards to our campaigns and to improve upon the current model letters.
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Sample letter to the Pakistani High Commissioner in the UK. You may write to either the High Commissioner or the Pakistani Ambassador in your country via the mail addresses attached at the bottom of this sample letter.
[Your name]
[Your address]
Mr. Hamid Asghar Khan
High Commission for Pakistan
34 – 36 Lowndes Square
London
SW1X 9JN
[Date]
Dear Mr. Khan
Re: Humanitarian disaster in the North West Frontier Province
I am deeply concerned about the humanitarian disaster that has been unfolding over the last week due to the military action by the Pakistani Army. Since the decision by the government to annul the February agreement and to engage in military action against the ‘Pakistani Taleban,’ over 600,000 innocent civilians have been forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in other parts of Pakistan. UNHRC reported that as of late Monday a total of 501, 496 displaced people have been formally registered since May 2. This figure is likely to be only a fraction of the real total as most fleeing families choose to stay with relatives or friends rather than seek help. These hundreds of thousands of people are in dire need of basic necessities such as food and water, shelter, medical care and sanitation facilities.
We know that such military action, which involves heavy air assaults and the use of gunship helicopters in densely populated areas, never solely targets the object and entails countless civilian casualties. This week the UN has voiced major concerns regarding the protection of civilians, as the number of innocents killed during such action remains unknown. This type of military action in such densely populated areas is counter-productive and victimises large segments of society.
Such action by the government alienates and criminalises innocent people and will prove futile in the fight against the militants. Such action has never historically been a solution and can only destabilise the country. I urge you to give priority to the well-being and interest of the Pakistani people over the geo-political interests of others.
In light of such a large scale humanitarian disaster and the ever-increasing number of displaced people, I urge you to consider the plight of these innocent Pakistanis and to take the necessary action to bring an end to such futile military action.
I look forward to your reply regarding this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely,
[Your signature]
[Your name]
5. Addresses for sample letter
Pakistani High Commissions or Embassies in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Netherlands, South Africa, Turkey and US.
Australian campaigners can write to:
H.E. Mr. Jalil Abbas Jilani
PO Box 684
Mawson ACT 2607
(Australia)
Fax: +61-2-6290-1073
Email: nparepcanberra@actonline.com.au
Belgian campaigners can write to:
Mr. M. Shafkat Saeed
EMBASSY OF PAKISTAN
57 Avenue Delleur
1170 Bruxelles
Belgium
Fax: +32-2-675-8394
Email: parepbrussels@skynet.be
Canadian campaigners can write to:
Mr. Musa Javed Chohan
10 Range Road
Ottawa
Ontario, K1N 8J3
Canada
Fax: +1-613-238-7296
Email: parepottawa@rogers.com
Danish campaigners can write to:
Mrs. Fauzia Mufti Abbas
Valeulrsvej 17
P.O. Box 107
2900
Hellerup
Copenhagen
Denmark
Fax: +45-39401070
Email: parepcopenhagen@pakistan-embassy.dk
French campaigners can write to:
H. E. M. Aneesuddin Ahmed
Pakistani Embassy
18, Rue Lord Byron,
75008 Paris
France
Fax: +33-1-45628915
Email: parep-paris@gmail.com
German campaigners can write to:
H. E. Shahid Ahmed Kamal
Pakistani Embassy
Schaperstr-29
Wilmersdorf
10719 Berlin
Fax: +49-30-2124-4210
Email: pakemb.berlin@t-online.de
Indian campaigners can write to:
Mr. Shahid Malik
High Commission of Pakistan
2/50-G, Shantipath
Chanakyapuri
New Delhi
India
Fax: +91-11-2687-2339
Email: Pakhc@nda.vsnl.net.in
Indonesian campaigners can write to:
Maj.Gen. Ali Baz
Embassy of Pakistan
50, Jalan, Teuku Umar
Pusat, Jakarta
Fax: +62-21-310-3945
Email: parepjkt@pakistanembassyjakarta.com
Malaysian campaigners can write to:
Mr. Tahir Mahmud Qazi
High Commission of Pakistan
Persiaran Stonor 55000
Kuala Lumppur
Fax: +603-2164-5958
Email: pahickl@gmail.com
Dutch campaigners can write to:
Mr. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry
Embassy of Pakistan
Plein 1813 No.3 2514 Jn
The Hague
Fax: +31-70-310-6047
Email: parepnl@wanadoo.nl
South African campaigners can write to:
Mr. Ashraf Qureshi
High Commission of Pakistan
69 Korannaberg Avenue
Waterkloof Heights
Pretoria
South Africa
Fax: +27-12-3623967
Email: pakhicom@global.co.za
Turkish campaigners can write to:
Sardar Tariq Azizuddin, S.St.
Embassy of Pakistan
37, Iran Caddesi
Ankara
Turkey
Fax: +90-312-4671023
Email: perepankhara@yahoo.com
US campaigners can write to:
H. E. Husain Haqqani
Embassy of Pakistan 3517 International Court NW
Washington, DC 20008
Fax: 202-686-1534
E-mail: info@embassyofpakistanusa.org
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“And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.”
Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75
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