KARACHI, March 18: The doctor brothers were released on Friday night by jail authorities after the Sindh government withdrew the order for their continued detention under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).
Dr Akmal Waheed, a cardiac specialist of the NICVD and Dr Arshad Waheed, a kidney physician of the JMPC, were acquitted by the Sindh High Court of the charges of harbouring, providing medical treatment to al-Qaeda and Jundullah activists, and sending them to Wana for training and providing them funds.
The two brothers, arrested here in June 2004 on suspicion of sheltering, helping and treating Pakistani and foreign militants, were convicted in 2005 and sentenced to seven years in prison by an anti-terrorism court (ATC).
However, the SHC set aside the ATC judgment last week and ordered the authorities to immediately release them.
But, instead of implementing the court order, police re-arrested and detained them under the MPO, a law that allows the government to hold any terror suspects for three months.
DECISION HAILED: The Joint Doctors Action Committee (JDAC) on Saturday welcomed the release of Dr Arshad Waheed and Dr Akmal Waheed, as ‘success if truth and justice’.
The JDAC statement, issued by Dr Misbahul Aziz, Dr Shershah Syed, Dr Rasool Bux and others office-bearers acknowledged the support extended by the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA), Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), doctors, medical students, paramedics, political parties and media to the doctor brothers’ just struggle.
Their release came after Sindh government withdrew its orders regarding their continued detention under the MPO.—PPI
