ISLAMABAD, March 5: An alliance of political activists has demanded immediate release of the children of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

In an open letter to caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro, interior minister Hamid Nawaz; chief commissioner, IGP and SSP Islamabad, the Awami Jamhoori Ittehad said two of its members - Jehangir Akhtar and Iqbal Bali - were on a hunger strike since February 29, which they intend not to end till the release of the children.

The letter said the children had been illegally detained in their house since emergency was imposed on November 3. They were denied access to basic facilities such as electricity, gas, water and telecommunication, their educational progress is being impeded, access to medical facilities denied and their fundamental rights violated.

The AJI said it had been told by the local administration that they have orders from the ministry of interior to keep these children confined in their home along with their father and mother.

“There can be no legal or moral justification for this. Even if there are orders to keep Mr Chaudhry under house arrest, under what pretext are these orders being applied to the entire family? Why are his children being treated as criminals and made to suffer for no fault of their’s?”

Even if the ministry of interior has not issued any formal orders regarding keeping Justice Chaudhry or his children in confinement, it is undeniable that the matter lies in the jurisdiction of the ministry.

“We demand that the ministry of interior issue an order to the local administration to immediately lift the restrictions on the movement of the children.”