The families of six army
officers arrested last year for having links with Al Qaeda
contacted the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) to help them
get the officers released, a source in the religious parties
alliance told The Fact.
The army officers were
also accused of involvement in plots to kill General Pervez
Musharraf last year. Major Adil Qadoos was arrested on
March 1, Col Abdul Ghaffar and Major Roheel Faraz on March
4, Col Khalid Mahmood on March 30, Major Ataullah Watoo
on May 26, and Captain Dr Usman Zafar was arrested in
August 2003.
According to the MMA source,
the families of these officers are not allowed to meet
them and officials have been pressurising them not to
protest their arrests. The families told the MMA that
the officers were suffering from serious ailments. “Col
Khalid has kidney problems and Major Adil is a heart patient.
No allegation and charge sheet has been presented so far.
The MMA must play an active role to release the detainees.”
According to the source,
MMA leaders told the families that they should wait patiently
while the case is in court, but that the matter would
be taken up at their next supreme council meeting. It
remains to be seen whether the MMA is in a position to
help these families or is willing open a new front against
the government. staff report
