QUETTA, Sept 28: Activists and supporters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) held a demonstration here on Tuesday over a verdict by a US federal court against Dr Aafia Siddiqui and called for her immediate release.

The protesters assembled outside the press club on a call by party chief Altaf Hussain to condemn what the party described as the “harsh sentence” awarded to Dr Siddiqui.

Provincial leaders of the party Saleem Ahmed and Yousuf Shahwani termed the sentence “an inhuman act” and said the court had no jurisdiction to convict a person who had been arrested in Pakistan. They called upon the US government to respect the sentiments of 180 million Pakistanis and immediately release Dr Siddiqui.