ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Professionals Forum (PPF), in collaboration with the civil society, staged a protest on the Jinnah Avenue here on Thursday to condemn the illegal detention of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui in the United States.

The rally was addressed by former Jamaat-e-Islami MNA Mian Aslam, PPF President Asif Luqman Qazi, Advocate Sanaullah Zahid, Defence of Human Rights Chairperson Amina Janjua and others.

Bring Dr. Aafia Back

Our Lahore correspondent adds: Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA), through a resolution, has condemned, what they call, biased verdict of a US court against Aafia Siddiqui. “It is the bias of the American judicial system that during the trial of Dr Aafia, no Muslim reporters were allowed to enter the court to cover the proceedings of the court,” the resolution said.

Th resolution also said, “Dr Aafia and her two children be released immediately as all allegations against her are baseless, rather she is herself a victim of American prejudice against Muslims.” The lawyers said the verdict had exposed the hollowness of the judicial system of the US.

Meanwhile, the US court verdict against Aafia Siddiqui, convicting her of attempted murder and awarding her life sentence, evoked strong condemnation from religious quarters in Pakistan on Thursday.

Religious leaders condemned US jury of being biased and its judgment driven by hate, since Dr Aafia was dubbed as a terrorist linked with al-Qaeda much before and throughout her trial, although terrorism charges were dropped by prosecution and police admitted she was neither linked with 9-11 incidents nor her fingerprints were found on the gun she was accused of firing with on a US interrogator.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Syed Munawwar Hasan said the conviction exposed the American justice and civilisation, since there was no solid evidence against Dr Aafia and she was the victim of strong bias.

Jamaatud Dawah Ameer Prof Hafiz Mohammad Saeed said that the US jury proved that justice had become non-existent in that country. Talking to The News, he said that Dr Aafia was booked under charges of terrorism and abetting al-Qaeda in 9-11 incidents but was convicted on attempted murder despite conflicting testimonies of witnesses and no fingerprints on the gun she was accused of firing with.

- Muhammad Anis, The News