LAHORE, Oct 25: The Doctors Action Committee on Friday gave a 24-hour deadline to the government for the release of Dr Amer Aziz.

Speaking at a hunger-strike camp and a protest demonstration at the Faisal Square, action committee head Dr Yasmin Rashid, Dr Tanvir Zubairy, Dr Dil Muhammad Mirza, Prof A.K. Tareen and others condemned the government for its ‘coward role’ in the arrest of Dr Amer.

They said the government had been taking dictation from the US in order to prolong its unjust rule. Dr Amer’s arrest was a challenge to the country’s sovereignty and an insult to our dignity. The only crime of Dr Amer was to help injured Taliban and other militants, they said.

They termed the arrest a violation of basic human rights, and urged the people from other walks of life to help them build pressure on the government.

They threatened if the government failed to secure Dr Amer’s release, they would convene a meeting on Saturday to chalk out a strategy to build up pressure on the government for his release. They said the doctors were planning to go on strike across the province.

Meanwhile, students of the King Edward and Allama Iqbal medical colleges observed a black day against Dr Amer’s arrest. They warned the government of holding a protest demonstration if it failed to get him released.

Imran Aziz, the brother of Dr Amer, said an anonymous caller told him on Friday that his brother would be set free in a day or two. However, he said the family had not sought any legal action so far against his arrest.