On Feb. 20, activists with Fightback picketed the Toronto Consulate General of Pakistan at 7880 Keele St. to demand the release of Rawal Asad. Soon after we arrived, a few comrades went inside first to deliver a letter on behalf of Fightback addressed to the consul general. We were able to meet with the vice consul general, Mr. Muhammad Junaid Wazir, and delivered the letter along with a breakdown of events that occured on the day of Rawal’s arrest. The Pakistani state police arrested student and worker activists including Rawal Asad after they attended a rally organized by the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) against the brutal murder of college professor Arman Luni by a police officer. We informed the vice consul general that we are demanding the immediate release of Rawal Asad and for all false charges to be dropped. We also notified them of the escalating actions that will take place, including pressure from leaders of various trade unions, student organizations, and NDP MPPs, who have committed to sending letters to the Pakistani Consulate on behalf of the thousands they represent.
We handed out leaflets at the consulate, which were accepted by everyone. A group of comrades then proceeded to hold a picket outside of the consulate to bring attention to Rawal’s arrest and send a clear message to the consulate. A handful of people came by to ask questions and record the protest on their cellphones. There was a noticeable mood of international solidarity among the comrades present, as well as those we ran into outside of the consulate. We successfully sent our message to the consul general, raised awareness in the community, and notified them that we would be back in a week if Rawal’s case was not resolved.
Stop persecuting Pakistani student and labour activists!
Release Rawal Asad!
Sign the petition to free Rawal Asad here.
Learn more about the campaign and how you can help here.
