28.03.2002

Pakistan socialist jailed for protest

Farooq Tariq, general secretary of the Labour Party Pakistan, describes his experience under lock and key

After almost 24 hours, I have just been released by the police. I was arrested last night at 1am in my house, where the local inspector came with his police force. He knew me very well, apologised for his action and asked me to come along with him to the police station for some "clarifications". I knew it was nothing of the sort. I was being arrested. At the station, senior police officers were informed of the successful operation of my arrest. The police arrested over a dozen leaders of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) that night and included me on the list as well. The Labour Party Pakistan had left the alliance last year but they believed that the LPP, the most active party against the military regime, would do something, so a preventive measure had to be taken by arresting me. The local police officers asked me if I would like to use the phone. I spoke to the LPP office and they immediately issued a press release. The arrest was so late that only two of the national dailies printed the news - the daily Jang did so on the front page. Sleeping with a lot of mosquitoes was not easy, although a bed was provided for me by the local police. It is very special treatment if you are able to sleep on a bed in a police station. The whole day was high drama. I was able to call from my mobile to most of our contacts who could help effect an immediate release by putting pressure on the police and the administration. To be able to use my mobile was another special privilege extended to me by the local police. They know our influence in the area very well and respect us. I spoke to journalists, lawyers, former ministers, close allies of the party and party activists. They all made inquiries as to what sort of charges had been brought against me. I was not formally charged for the whole day. At around 4pm, I was informed by a journalist who is also a member of the party that he has seen a file containing a big bundle of reports against me. He had been told by intelligence people that I had not been arrested in connection with the general round-up of ARD leaders. I had earned my arrest by making inflammatory speeches against the military regime. He mentioned my speech to the peasants on March 8, and so on. He thought I may not be released today. He also said he was using his influence as a representative of journalists to get me out. In the meantime, I started receiving calls from friends around the country. They were non-stop, one after the other. It showed the concern of our comrades and supporters from around the country. Around 11pm, I heard from the editor of Jang, the largest circulation paper of Pakistan, who is a friend of mine, that all the ARD leaders had been released, so why not me? I told him the information I had from another friend. He said he would do something about it. In the meantime, the journalists' leader was able to speak to the mayor of Lahore. It is assumed that the police released me on the orders of the mayor. The journalist friend told me later on that it was very difficult to get me out, that I may be arrested again very soon and that I must go underground. I shall consider his advice tomorrow.