We second former federal law minister Iqbal Haider’s appeal to President Zardari to take up the case of Dr Khaleel Chishti during his visit to India. Dr Chishti has been imprisoned in Ajmer since 1992 on charges of murder during a visit to his ailing mother. His trial in Indian courts took 19 years to complete. Now nearly 85 years old, Dr Chishti, a virologist professor from Karachi University, has been suffering from various ailments including heart disease, hip fracture and left ventricular failure. A number of prominent Indian human rights activists such as Journalist Kuldip Nayer, GS of Rajasthan PUCL Kavita Srivastava and filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, have been taking up his case for acquittal.
Though the Rajasthan’s High Court has upheld his life imprisonment, however, he can still get pardon on humanitarian grounds by the state governor. It will be a great news for Dr Chishti’ family if President Zardari could win his release during his one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. We don’t want to receive another body from India; let the old professor spend time with his family during the last few years of his remaining life.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia
