Protests against Dr Afia’s imprisonment
This was met with protests across the country and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Basit said on Friday that the decision was “sad and disappointing”. He vowed not to give up pursuit of the matter.
Hundreds of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) workers, carrying banners inscribed with ‘Down with Musharraf, Down with America’, gathered on the Murree Road in Rawalpindi in front of the press club and chanted slogans against the United States.
The protesters criticised the government for failing to bring Dr Afia back to her homeland.
Addressing the rally, president of JI Rawalpindi chapter, Haroonur Rashid urged the government to quit the “so-called” alliance with the US in protest of this verdict.
“The Musharraf regime sold the nation’s daughter to America for a few dollars and the current government has done the same by failing to get her repatriated,” said Rashid.
He said if the government did not take immediate steps for her repatriation, his party would launch protests all over the country.
The JI workers remained on the Murree Road for over an hour before dispersing peacefully.
Later, a rally of the workers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf, led by its Rawalpindi chapter chief Sadaqat Abbassi, also arrived at the Rawalpindi Press Club.
Carrying banners and placards, the PTI workers denounced the handing over of an 86-year imprisonment sentence to Dr Siddiqui. Speakers said that American people must also raise their voices against the “in-justice done to Sidiqqui”.
The protestors said that Siddiqui was innocent and had only been made a victim of “dirty politics”.
In the federal capital, over 200 PTI workers were joined by members of the civil society as they marched towards the US Embassy from the PTI office in G-6. The police and administration stopped them from going to the United States Embassy to record their protest. The protestors then staged a sit-in near Sarena Hotel.
Addressing the rally of protestors, PTI Islamabad president Zahid Abbassi termed the sentence a violation of human rights. “The so-called champion of human rights, the US has committed a grave human rights violation by sentencing a woman to 86 years in prison,” said Abbassi.
In case of government inaction, he threatened to march to the US embassy, an attempt in which he had just failed.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2010.
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