Dawn
21st February 1969
Mujib struggling for his rights : Murshed
LAHORE, Feb 20: Mr. Justice S. M. Murshed, said here this evening that if Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Awami League chief, was a “traitor” every patriotic Pakistani currently engaged in the popular mass movement was a traitor because he was struggling for his rights.
Addressing a big public meeting in Chowk Nawab Sahib inside Mochi Gate here, he said the meaning of words have changed with the times and those who demanded their rights and struggled for truth, were labelled as “traitors and anti-state.”
He said the mass movement launched by the people for their fundamental rights had reached its climax and the dictatorship was on the verge of collapse.
The people were struggling for the restoration of democracy which in itself was a complete programme. He said there were a thousand and one other problems but as democracy had been restricted here, it was put on top of people’s demands.
Mr. Justice Murshed said we were one nation whether living in East or West Pakistan. Being Muslims, we believed in one God, one faith and one Prophe. “We are with those who profess’ Islam and racite kalma, be it Bhutto, Wali Khan, Abdus Samad Achakzai or anyone else.”
He advised the people not to depart from the path of Islam till they professed it. He said it was not good to act otherwise when one called himself a Muslim.
Concluding, he said that sacrifices offered by all sections of the people particularly youth and students would bear fruit. Signs of dictatorship were tumbling down, he added.
GRATITUDE
He conveyed the gratitude of East Pakistanis to West Pakistanis and said both people were continuing their struggle for restoration of their rights. He raised slogans “Dacca ka khoon hamara khoon hai”, (blood be it shed in Dacca of Lahore is ours), “Long live shaheeds”, “Long live shaheeds”, “Bhutto Zindabad” etc. Speaking earlier, Agha Shorish Kashmiri warned the Opposition leaders that serious results would ensure if they showed any weakness in pleading the cause of the people at the Round Table Conference. Earlier Mr. Justice Murshed received a warm welcome from the people who had awaited him for more than an hour before his arrival.
He was heavily garlanded by the people at Mochi Gate and was carried to Chowk Nawab Sahib amid great cheers and slogans of “Justice Murshed Zindabad.”-PPI
TEXT
Following is the text Mr. Justice Murshed’s Press statement.
“While bullets have been ringing in Pakistan, more particularly in East Pakistan, I have already spoken that no words are strong enough to condemn such naked oppression and unbriddled brutality.
“I have had in the meantime, read again the press and publications Ordinance as amended in 1963, It appears to me to be one of the most glaring instances of a plethora of black laws which has been imposed on this hapless country for about a decade. The legality of many of the provisions of the aforesaid Ordinances is open to serious challenge under the categories of fundamental rights as embodied in the present Constitution.
“The power to suspend and annul the requisite declaration and the conferment of the power on Governmental authorities to exercise compulsion on certain publications is extremely unjust and arbitrary.
“The power to forfeit periodicals and their presses is a draconic law which is so barbaric in its impact as to transcend the bonds of any civilized legislation.
“The power to summon editors and their agents with a view to disclosing any information possessed by them is as unjust as it is devastating.
“Over and above many other objectionable provisions of these Ordinances, the transformation of Section 500 of the Penal code into cognizable offence has placed journalists and others at the mercy of Governmental authorities and has seriously jeopardised their right to purvey news of importance to the public.
“For over a century, he said Section 500 PPC has been a non- cognizable offence and its metamorphosis is alarming in as much as it widely opens the door to its abuse.
“I do not wish to add to the catalogue of the most objectionable features of a legislation which is patently designed to place newspapers and journals under complete control of the wielders of Governmental power.
“I very strongly urge that the aforesaid ordinances be repealed forthwith and that pre-1958 provisions be restored in the meantime.
“Without freedom of the Press of the country, the freedom of the people is rendered ineffective.
“I draw the attention of the authorities to this pressing problem at a time when the constitution of the country is itself in the melting pot.”-PPI.
সুত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু: পঞ্চম খণ্ড ॥ ষাটের দশক ॥ চতুর্থ পর্ব ॥ ১৯৬৯