KARACHI, July 31: The women wing of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Karachi chapter, organised a demonstration led by the former member of the National Assembly, Ayesha Munawwar, and JI leader Durdana Siddiqui in front of the Karachi Press Club on Thursday.

The women demonstrators called for the recovery of Dr Afia Siddiqui who was reportedly handed over to the US authorities by the government in 2003.

They were holding banners and placards condemning the arrest of Dr Afia and disappearance of scores of people after their arrest. One of the banners termed detention of Dr Afia at Bagram prison a slap in the face of human rights organisations. Addressing the rally, the JI deputy leader, Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, said that President Pervez Musharraf had handed over innocent Pakistani citizens to the US authorities only to appease the US and save his rule.

He said that currently the entire country was in the grip of poverty, soaring prices and unemployment. Prof Ghafoor said that it was the responsibility of the government to take steps to control the situation.

He also advised the chief of the PML-N, Nawaz Sharif, to come up with a concrete plan to steer the nation out of the current crises before August 14.Demanding an immediate recovery of Dr Afia Siddiqui from Bagram prison, he called for the restoration of deposed judges and impeachment of the president. Mohammad Hussain Mehnati criticised the government for acting as mere spectators despite disclosure of Dr Afia’s detention by the US authorities.

He also said that the human rights bodies ought to play their role for her release. He said that legislators, religious and political parties and the ruling alliance should also play their role for the release of Dr Afia.

—Staff Reporter