Karachi: A march on foot from Hyderabad to Karachi led by noted human rights activist Vero Kolhi to demand release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui reached Nooriabad from Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Vero Kolhi, the recipient of the presidential award for her struggle against forced labor in Pakistan, despite intense heat and her health problems decided to continue the march. The foot march is expected to reach Karachi on Friday where Aafia Movement Pakistan leader Dr Fowzia Siddiqui and other human rights activists would give it a warm welcome at Sohrab Goth.
Vero Kolhi led the march on foot from Hyderabad, participated by Pasban Hyderabad president Arshad Arain, Dr Sham Lal, Adi Haleema, Adi Kanwal, Adi Shahnaz, Manzoor Khan, Anwer Sheikh, Amir Qaimkhani, Hameed, Ramzan Brohi, Ramsan, Bhora and other activists. After covering a distance of 30 kilometers on foot the condition of Vero Kolhi deteriorated and she was rushed to a Jamshoro Hospital. However, after getting first-aid, Vero refused to be admitted and rejoined the foot march.
Later, the march reached Nooriabad, where they would stay for a night and next morning continue their foot march towards Karachi. During the foot march from Hyderabad to Nooriabad, common people welcomed the activists at different places and expressed solidarity to them. Many people also walked along with them as a token of support.
Vero Kolhi said their caravan-e-ghairat would continue and they would heave a sigh of relief when Dr Aafia is released from the foreign prison.
Dr Fowzia Siddiqui has said that the struggle of rights activists in Pakistan and aboard for release of Aafia Siddiqui is in full swing. Civil society and human rights workers in whole country are arranging programs and rallies for March 30, the day on which the Pakistani mother along with her three minor children was kidnapped from Karachi.
She said on completion of the first 15 years of the illegal detention of the Pakistani woman scientist Aafia Siddiqui, Pakistani masses are angry with their rulers who have not played any role to seek the release of the daughter of the nation.
