Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) expresses grave concern over the incident of excessive use of power by the law enforcing agencies during the hartal. ASK also condemns the destructive attitude of the picketers.

We came to know from the newspaper sources that during the hartal called by the opposition on 27 June 2010, law enforcing agencies used excessive power which was not called for. For example-the incident of raid and vandalism carried out inside the house of Mirza Abbas by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). On the other hand the opposition party workers also damaged and torched some vehicles on the day of hartal and the day before which instilled fear in the minds of the people and severely hampered their daily life.

People have the right to protest anything. But the means of such protest should be peaceful. On the other hand a democratic government cannot suppress that right using excessive force. We must remember that denial of using legitimate means to express difference of views risks the rise of illegal methods. We expect that both the Government and the opposition will adhere to democratic norms and pro people attitude in their behavior.