Thousands released in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – More than 3 000 people jailed in Pakistan under emergency rule have been released in recent days, the Interior Ministry said yesterday, the latest sign that embattled President General Pervez Musharraf was rolling back some of the harsher measures he has taken against his opponents.

Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema put the exact figure of those freed in recent days at 3 416 – including lawyers and political activists – and said more than 2 000 people remained jailed. “The process has started.More are being released today,” Cheema said of the releases.He said those still in detention “would be freed soon,” though he said the cases of some facing criminal charges could take longer.Musharraf, who left for a visit to Saudi Arabia yesterday, has been rolling back some of his most unpopular steps over the past several days.He has been under immense pressure from Washington to free opposition leaders, end media restrictions and step down as head of the armed forces.The releases came hours after judges hand-picked by Musharraf quashed legal challenges to his disputed re-election as president.Still, many high-ranking party activists and leaders, such as former cricket star Imran Khan, remained in prison.Khan began a hunger strike Monday to protest emergency rule.And while some people were being showed out of detention facilities, others were being led in.In the southern city of Karachi, police detained about 150 journalists yesterday after clashing with them during a protest against Pakistan’s state of emergency, witnesses said.Two reporters were seen bleeding from head injuries.Police also detained 23 journalists after they tried to hold a rally in the southern city of Hyderabad to protest press restrictions, said Ali Hassan, a local journalist who was present at the rally.Meanwhile, several leaders of Pakistan’s lawyers’ associations, which have been at the forefront of protests against Musharraf for months, vowed on their release from jail that they would continue their campaign against the emergency and for the restoration of ousted judges.”We are chalking out strategy for the next phase …The lawyers community will not give up,” said Hafiz Lakho, a senior lawyer in Karachi.In the southern province of Sindh, authorities released 300 people, including lawyers, human rights activists and supporters of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, one of Musharraf’s chief rivals.Bhutto herself was released from a second stint under house arrest late last week, as was a prominent human rights activist, Asma Jehangir.Nampa-AP”The process has started.More are being released today,” Cheema said of the releases.He said those still in detention “would be freed soon,” though he said the cases of some facing criminal charges could take longer.Musharraf, who left for a visit to Saudi Arabia yesterday, has been rolling back some of his most unpopular steps over the past several days.He has been under immense pressure from Washington to free opposition leaders, end media restrictions and step down as head of the armed forces.The releases came hours after judges hand-picked by Musharraf quashed legal challenges to his disputed re-election as president.Still, many high-ranking party activists and leaders, such as former cricket star Imran Khan, remained in prison.Khan began a hunger strike Monday to protest emergency rule.And while some people were being showed out of detention facilities, others were being led in.In the southern city of Karachi, police detained about 150 journalists yesterday after clashing with them during a protest against Pakistan’s state of emergency, witnesses said.Two reporters were seen bleeding from head injuries.Police also detained 23 journalists after they tried to hold a rally in the southern city of Hyderabad to protest press restrictions, said Ali Hassan, a local journalist who was present at the rally.Meanwhile, several leaders of Pakistan’s lawyers’ associations, which have been at the forefront of protests against Musharraf for months, vowed on their release from jail that they would continue their campaign against the emergency and for the restoration of ousted judges.”We are chalking out strategy for the next phase …The lawyers community will not give up,” said Hafiz Lakho, a senior lawyer in Karachi.In the southern province of Sindh, authorities released 300 people, including lawyers, human rights activists and supporters of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, one of Musharraf’s chief rivals.Bhutto herself was released from a second stint under house arrest late last week, as was a prominent human rights activist, Asma Jehangir.Nampa-AP