KARACHI: Aafia Movement Pakistan (AMP) leader and neurophysician Dr Fowzia Siddiqui on Sunday said that an early release of Pakistani scientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui is the country’s old demand and she hopes that the government of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan would play a historic role in her sisters early repatriation.
According to details, AMP staged an ‘Aafia Peace Rally’ on Main University Road from Safari Park to NIPA Chowrangi that was attended by a number of people and civil society activists. Raising banners and portraits of Aafia Siddiqui, they raised slogans demanding her immediate release.
While speaking on the occasion, Dr Fowzia Siddiqui said that Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari should take notice of the inhumane treatment being meted out to Aafia in prison.
She said that Mazari should ensure that a protest resolution of Pakistan is lodged in the United Nations (UN) urgently.
She said that Pakistan should record a strong protest against Aafia’s basic human rights that are being violated. She feared that Aafia is facing a religious persecution in prison and being asked to change her religion while adding that she is being punished for her being a Pakistani and a Muslim.
She suggested that the government of Pakistan should ensure that its daughter is freed before extending any sort of help to the United States on the Afghanistan issue.
Dr Fowzia said that PM Imran Khan should think seriously about the matter as the progress and prosperity of Pakistan would be only be possible when the basic rights of every citizen are secured and guaranteed.
She opined that this is good opportunity for the PM to seek Aafia’s release as President Trump’s tweets have already provided a good atmosphere in which the issue could be easily resolved.
Leaders from different political parties and the civil society also spoke on the occasion and demanded the government to interevene.
