Civil society holds candlelight vigil for Aafia
Karachi: Civil society here Sunday arranged a candlelight vigil in front of Karachi Press Club (KPC) to express solidarity with the daughter of the nation, Dr Aafia Siddiqui, on completion of the first three years of her 86-year sentence and demanded serious efforts on governmental level to secure her early release.
Holding banners and portraits of the jailed Pakistani mother, they chanted slogans demanding immediate release of Aafia. A large number of women also attended the candlelight vigil and they categorically termed 86-year sentence to innocent Aafia a mockery of justice.
Aafia Movement Pakistan leader Dr Fowzia Siddiqui said we salute Aafia for her courage and bravery. She said this frail woman has faced all kinds of atrocities during her long captivity, bravely.
She said whole Pakistani nation supports Aafia and the governments of Pakistan and United States of America should realize these sentiments and release the innocent Pakistani mother, allowing her to reunite with her children and ailing mother.
She said yesterday the whole world celebrated the international peace day but sadly the world powers are not sincere to the cause of peace. The world leaders only talk about peace but avoid taking solid actions for giving the world peace. She said Aafia Siddiqui has always supported world peace.
She wanted to bring an educational revolution in Pakistan by promoting female literacy, but her dreams turned sour when she was kidnapped from a street of Karachi in broad daylight along with her minor children, sold for dollars and trafficked along with her children and kept in illegal detention in concentration camps aboard.
Later, she was shifted to the US where a court handed her 86-years imprisonment in violation of all norms of law and justice. She said the sham trial of Dr Aafia would always be remembered in the history of law and justice as a blemish.
Civil society leaders ShamimKazmi of Aurat Foundation, MrsFarooq of Hawa Foundation, noted trader leader and President of All Karachi TajirIttehadAtiq Mir, HassenaKhanani, Dr Abubakar and others spoke.
They demanded of the government of Mian Nawaz Sharif to take the issue of Dr Aafia Siddiqui with the US administration during his tour to the US and ensure that the daughter of the nation is released before the EidulAzha.
Later, the demonstrators lit candles before the KPC and prayed for early release of Aafia Siddiqui.
