Pakistan arrests anti-war political leader

Pakistan’s military dictatorship has continued its crackdown on anti-war politicians by arresting the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League after the organisation decided to participate in a general strike to protest against the attacks in Afghanistan.

Mukhdoom Javed Hashmi was arrested hours after the Muslim League announced its support for the November 9 strike, which was organised by religious leaders.

A Pakistani government spokesman confirmed the arrest but said he did not know what the charges were.

Most Islamic groups in Pakistan have objected to General Pervez Musharraf’s support for the so-called "war on terrorism".

Musharraf has allowed the US to use Pakistani air bases in its attacks on Afghanistan, despite widespread protests throughout the country and the fact that three-quarters of Pakistan’s population does not support the war.

Musharraf, who seized power from the democratically elected president, Nawaz Sharif, has arrested several leaders of Islamic groups who organised protests against his support for the US attacks.

Political parties have also been sidelined since Musharraf came to power in 1999.

The government is currently led by military officers and civilian technocrats who do not belong to any political groupings.

Prior to Musharraf’s coup, Hashmi’s Muslim League, which was led by Sharif, was the country’s main party.

Pakistan has also long supported Afghanistan’s Taliban Government, but Musharraf abandoned this support after the US declared the Taliban its sworn enemies.

However, the Taliban enjoys widespread support among the Pakistani population because of ethnic and religious ties.