ISLAMABAD, Feb 17: No human rights activist or political leader participated in a protest demonstration held here in solidarity with the family of 20-year-old Shahzeb Khan who was gunned down in Karachi on December 25, 2012.

Only six students and a cousin of the victim were present outside the National Press Club.

Umair Zaidi, a student belonging to the PML-N youth wing, said he had learnt about the protest and reached the venue. “But I was shocked to see that even those human rights activists who had been inviting people to the protest were not there,” he said.

Same was the reaction of other students, including Farhan Baig, Rashid Abbasi, Sadiq Raza and Chaudhry Jawwad. They were of the view that people should take part in such gatherings.

Mohsin Hussain, a relative of the late Shahzeb who had come from Risalpur, said they had decided to arrange the protest because the Karachi police had not yet completed the challan of the case.

“I have learnt that the challan should have been submitted to the court within 14 days of the incident. There are also confusions in the medical report as the medical team has declared the key suspect, Shahrukh Jatoi, an underage,” he said.

He said the next date of hearing of the case was February 19 but it did not seem that the police would submit the challan before that.

The case is being delayed so we appeal to Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Ahmed Chaudhry to take notice of the matter,” he demanded.—A Reporter