HYDERABAD, March 30: In an open letter to the PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, senior JSQM leader and noted writer Abdul Wahid Arisar has reminded Mr Zardari of his commitment regarding release of Akhtar Mengal, Dr Safdar Sarki and other detained nationalist leaders.

Mr Arisar said Ms Benazir Bhutto had also demanded release of Mr Mengal and Dr Sarki and added the demands of the assassinated leader amounted to an edict.

He said that Dr Sarki was presently confined in a prison in Zhob, Balochistan, and was seriously ill. He said Dr Sarki should be admitted to a hospital and provided proper medical facilities.

Mr Arisar said that Dr Sarki was a medical graduate from Chandka Medical College Larkana, the native town of Benazir Bhutto.

He expressed the hope that immediate steps would be taken to save the life of the talented young man. He reminded Mr Zardari of a saying of Thomas Jefferson that a human being had three basic rights—”life, freedom and pursuit of happiness.”

Our Mirpurkhas correspondent adds: JSQM activists staged a demonstration outside press club here on Sunday to protest against police failure to arrest the killers of two party activists and release of detained general secretary Dr Safdar Sarki.

Scores of protesters carrying banners and placards, raised slogans demanding immediate release of Dr Safdar Sarki and arrest of killers of JSQM two activists-- Dilbar Mirani and Ahsan Ansari.

They deplored that Dr Sarki was tortured, kept in illegal confinement for 22 months and later he was shown arrested in Balochistan and implicated in false cases.

They said that his health was deteriorating but he was not being provided proper medical treatment.

They sought his immediate release. They also condemned the murder of two JSQM activists and urged the authorities to ensure arrest of their murderers.