KARACHI, Jan 15: Speakers at a protest demonstration on Monday warned that if the three Shia youths who had been ‘picked up’ by the secret agencies over six months back were not released by Muharram, a countrywide protest would be launched.

Addressing at the protesters, the speakers said if they were required for any investigations they should have been formally arrested and tried in open courts and their relatives and lawyers be allowed to meet them.

Maulana Mirza Yusuf Hussain, Allama Aftab Haider Jaferry and others said Engineer Syed Mumtaz Hussain Rizvi, Engineer Imran Naqvi and Dr Ali Raza Zaidi had come from Dubai when they were picked up from the airport.

Erum Zaidi, wife of Ali Raza, said after looking for her husband everywhere she had approached General Musharraf to help her locate him.

She said she had received a reply, through an email, from the president’s office that “Consulate General in Dubai has informed that Dr Syed Ali Raza Zaidi has already left for Karachi on June 19, 2006 via Dubai Airport.”

Ms Zaidi, who along with her two young children Alizeh and Ali Hassan was among the protesters, said even the president offices had not given any indication as to where Dr Zaidi was or what charges were against him.

Accompanied by her two young daughters Mahroosa and Marium, Engineer Mumtaz Rizvi’s wife Maroofa Mumtaz said she had approached every quarter to locate her husband, but to no avail.

The protesters demanded immediate release of the youth.