SOS -- LIVES IN DANGER
SENATOR AFTAB AHMED SHEIKH, SENATOR NASREEN JALIL AND DR. FAROOQ SATTAR OF MQM ARRESTED, SEVERELY BEATEN, BLEEDING AND DRAGGED TO UNKNOWN DESTINATION BY POLICE
11 September 1999
Pakistan time: 4 p.m.
The personnel of CIA, Police and other law enforcement agencies have arrested Dr. Farooq Sattar and Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh from Sharah-e-Quaideen, Karachi, near the meeting point of MQM Public Rally announced to be held today at 4 p.m.
According to eyewitnesses accounts:
Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh, Deputy Convenor of MQM Co-ordination Committee, has been arrested from the meeting point of Public Rally at Sharah-e-Quaideen. According to eyewitnesses heavy torture was inflicted upon him. His clothes were torn apart and he too was dragged towards the police mobiles and taken to an unknown destination. According to eyewitness accounts blood was oozing from different parts of his body.
Dr. Farooq Sattar, Member of MQM Co-ordination Committee and MQM Parliamentary Leader in Sindh Assembly has been arrested by Police. He was severely beaten and dragged towards police mobiles along with dozens of other MQM workers and supporters. Blood marks were quite visible on his clothes.
Moreover, it has just now been reported that Senator Nasreen Jalil, Deputy Convenor of MQM Co-ordination Committee, and Mr. Zahid Qureshi, Member of Provincial Assembly of Sindh, have also been arrested from near Sharah-e-Quaideen. They were also severely beaten and brutally tortured and then dragged towards police mobiles and taken to an unknown destination. Eyewitnesses have informed that both of them were bleeding badly as a result of brutal torture.
It is to be informed that Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh is a heart patient and Dr. Farooq Sattar is a chronic patient of ulcer. In view of the above mentioned facts it is strongly apprehended that their lives are in extreme danger.
We appeal to the national and international human rights organisation and the international community to intervene immediately to save the lives of Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh and Dr. Farooq Sattar because we have strong apprehensions that their lives are in danger.