MUMBAI: A day after the world commemorated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Pakistan India People’s Forum for Peace & Democracy has appealed to the Pakistani authorities and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, to release Mohammad Hamid Ansari, on the 16t h Dec 2018, when his jail term gets completed.
The Indian chapter of the Forum, in a press statement, said “We believe that Hamid Ansari's immediate release will send a positive message as it will come in the background of the opening up of the Kartarpur Corridor.”
PIPFPD and many other campaigners for Hamid’s release have consistently maintained that while Hamid Ansari violated the Passport Act, etc., he is innocent of the kind of charges that were made against him.
He entered Pakistan "illegally" to meet his love in Kohat. They met over social media. Hamid was sentenced to three years in January 2016.
Peshawar High Court on 7th August 2018 directed authorities concerned to deport Hamid immediately after completion of his sentence, if he is not required for any other case.
“We request authorities to hand over Hamid to Indian High Commission officials on the day of completion of his sentence. We request that he should be released and repatriated the same day or next day via Wagah border.”
The forum also lauded PMr Imran Khan for his valuable gestures so far made towards making peace with India and in the region.
“We appeal to him to make sure that in Hamid’s case too, a humanitarian and relief approach is followed.”