August 23, 2006	Wednesday	Rajab 27, 1427

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LAHORE, Aug 22: Pakistan Human Rights Council (PHRC) chairman Mumtaz Ahmed Tarrar has demanded immediate release of PML-N president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and PPP leader Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Addressing a press conference at the Lahore Press Club here on Tuesday, the former MNA said five-year detention of Mr Hashmi was the worst example of political victimisation. He was being kept in solitary confinement for the last three years.

He said Hashmi was sick and had been operated upon for appendicitis. He had pain in his spinal cord, but he was not being provided with medical facilities despite doctors’ advice. He had not been allowed to use air-cooler despite hot weather. All this showed that he was being subjected to discriminatory treatment in violation of the UN charter of human rights and the Constitution of Pakistan.

He said ruling PML secretary-general Syed Mushahid Husain had described Javed Hashmi and Yousaf Raza Gilani as political prisoners and supported their release. Delay in their release after his statement was in fact a violation of the party policy as PML president Shujaat Husain had stated it a number of times that the government was being run in accordance with the party guidelines. Delay in their release had further shown that there was dictatorship in the country and the ruling political party had no importance.