KARACHI, Oct 5: Various human rights organizations have condemned the arrest of Abid Raza Zaidi and his uncle from their house late on Wednesday night and demanded their immediate release.

In a statement, the HRCP and the Amnesty International stated that Mr Zaidi, a PhD student of Karachi University, had been picked up with his uncle from his house in Islampura, Lahore, on Wednesday without showing any warrants of arrest.

They said Mr Zaidi was first picked up by agencies in April this year, but after a thorough screening by the agencies he was later released on Aug 16, 2006.

Mr Zaidi was then invited by the HRCP and the AI to their meeting at Islamabad on Sept 30 and Oct 1 to brief them about his ordeal.

The HRCP and AI said they feared that Mr Zaidi had been picked up because he had narrated his story regarding victimization and torture at their meeting.