Release Dr Chishty: Ramdas, Nayar, Bhatt, others appeal to Home Minister Chidambaram

April 18 2011

Shri P Chidambaram
Home Minister
Government of India
New Delhi

Reg.: Pardon for Pakistani prisoner Dr. Khaleel Chishty

Dear Sir,

We, the undersigned, are making this appeal for Dr. Khaleel Chishty (aged 80), a citizen of Pakistan who is currently in the hospital jail in Ajmer, Rajasthan. He was head of the Department of Virology and Microbiology at Karachi University. His academic career was brilliant and he was a popular figure. His family is too well educated, one of his daughters is a doctor in Karachi and the other holds a high position in Canada.

Dr. Chishty came to Ajmer in 1992 to see his ailing mother, and stayed at his brother's place. During his stay a fight broke out between his brother and his relatives; and unfortunately one person died. Dr. Chishty had nothing to do with this dispute. Dr. Chishty was arrested with two others under section 302 and 307 of the IPC.

Subsequently, he was released on bail and was confined to a village outside Ajmer. While he was out on bail he never violated any bail condition. He was always available whenever he was asked to remain present before the police or court.

He is suffering from multiple ailments. When he was taken to the Ajmer jail in January 2011 after a trial court verdict, two police personnel had to virtually carry him. His family members wish to see him return to his home (Pakistan) and spend his last days with his grandchildren.

As you are aware, couple of days ago Pakistan released Mr. Gopal Dass, an Indian citizen, following an appeal by the Supreme Court of India. We urge that it would be a good reciprocal gesture on the part of India to release Dr. Chishty. Civil society in Pakistan too has appealed for the release of Dr. Chishty.
We have appealed to the President of India Shrimati Pratibha Patil and Rajasthan Governor Shri Shivraj Patil to use their constitutional power and release Dr. Chishty. We reiterate that he is a person of impeccable character. We urge you to note his advanced age and see that Dr. Chishty returns his home as soon as possible.

Awaiting your favourable response.

Thanking you,
1. Mahesh Bhatt, Film Maker
2. Kuldip Nayar, Veteran Journalist
3. Admiral L Ramdas, Retired Indian Navy Chief
4. Jatin Desai, Journalist & Focus on the Global South
5. Shahid Siddiqui, Journalist
6. Vrinda Grover, Lawyer & SAHR
7. Kamla Bhasin, SANGAT
8. Mazher Hussain, CoVA
9. Kavita Srivastava, PUCL


c/o, Focus on the Global South 40/A, Ftfloor, St. Thomas Church Marg, Kalina Village, Santacruz (East). Mumbai 400 028 Telfax: 2665 3308

Click here to view PDF

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Aisam, Rohan win Peace and Sport award By our correspondent
KARACHI: The Indo-Pak Express comprising Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Rohan Bopanna has bagged another prestigious award for their peace mission.
T .....more

Aisam and Rohan: Peace for Sport's Image of the Year, 2010 A Pakistani and an Indian standing side by side, reveling in the benefits that cooperation and camaraderie can bring. It is most certainly the image of the year (and perh .....more

Art and global conflict Preview of an art exhibition in Cohin, India, curated by a Pakistani art journalist

Pakistani truck art will be exhibited in a show titled 'Mapping Global C .....more

Knot across the border By Shazman Shariff
It is said that love knows no bounds. It is strong enough to trespass manmade boundaries and limits. That is perhaps why people from India an .....more

Uma, the Indian bride Shabina Anjum pays tribute to a highly educated, globe-trotting girl from Chennai who blended into a conservative family in Peshawar

My only exposure to an .....more

'May all the gun barrels become flutes' A well attended Indo Pak poetry recital in Dubai reinforces the desire for peace between India and Pakistan

The huge Sheikh Rashid Auditorium in Dubai looke .....more