November 3, 2003	Monday	Ramazan 7, 1424

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HYDERABAD, Nov 2: The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) activists continued to observe a token hunger strike outside the press club here on Sunday to protest against the arrest of the PML-N and Alliance for Restoration of Democracy leader Javed Hashmi.

They were led by the provincial president, PML-N labour wing, Mohammad Afzal Gujjar, Muslim Students Federation leader Roshan Baloch, the ladies wing leader Raeesa Rehman and others.

Talking to journalists, Mr Gujjar termed the arrest of Mr Hashmi political victimization and said that he was not one to remain silent on national issues.

He said that many days had passed since his arrest but he had neither been produced in any court nor anyone was allowed to meet him. This was utter violation of basic human rights, he added.

He demanded that the opposition leader should be immediately released and cases against him be withdrawn.

CPP: The secretary general, Communist Party of Pakistan, Comrade Imdad Qazi, has also criticized the arrest of Mr Hashmi and demanded his immediate release and withdrawal of cases against him.

He was speaking to the CPP district committee members at the central secretariat of the party here on Sunday.

Saying that Mr Hashmi had only voiced the opinion of the people, he said that the ARD leader had spoken openly against the policies of the generals as was the basic right of every citizen.

Mr Qazi alleged that by suppressing the voice of the people, the generals had rendered the country weak and created a gulf between the people and the state.