Pakistan: Human rights activist Gulalai Ismail's father arrested, US voices concern

On Tuesday, a bail hearing ended with Mohammed Ismail, the 65-year-old father of the rights activisit, being led away in handcuffs. He faces charges of sedition and terrorism financing, which human rights defenders say are bogus and thinly veiled revenge against the family for embarrassing the state security services, reports The New York Times.

Gulalai earlier tweeted: "CTD-Police Peshawar raided our village home in Swabi Marghuz,they had brought my father as well. They had brought fabricated papers/receipts with them which they implanted in the files of our home. They snatched the phones from everyone before search."

Amnesty International has called for his release.

"Professor Muhammad Ismail, 66 and an Amnesty Prisoner of Conscience, was arrested on 2 February 2021 after his pre-arrest bail was canceled. We call for all charges against Professor Ismail to be dropped unconditionally and for his immediate release," it tweeted.

The US State Department also voiced its concern over the development.

"We are concerned by reports that authorities have again arrested Professor Muhammad Ismail. We are monitoring allegations of harassment against the Ismail family, and urge Pakistan to uphold citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly, expression, due process, and the rule of law," the department tweeted.