Thursday, 3rd ZilHaj1436                                   17/09/2015 CE                           No: PR15064

Press Release

Release Dr. Iftikhar Immediately

For those of Sight and Feeling Amongst the Judges, Lawyers and Human Rights’ Activists

Hizb ut-Tahrir draws urgent attention of the judges, lawyers and human rights activists towards the plight of their Muslim brother Dr. Iftikhar. On 26 May 2015, the regime seized Dr. Iftikhar outside Ghurki Hospital in Lahore, where he was seeking treatment for a severe disease of the gut. Dr. Iftikhar is a capable medical doctor who has worked as a registrar in adult medicine at Ghurki Hospital as well as holding a post as lecturer in Lahore Medical and Dental College. He was seized because of his political activities for the restoration of the Khilafah in Pakistan. He is continues to be denied bail (Case Number 18391/2015) and is held at Lahore Central Jail, Kot Lakhpat Jail, along with many other shebaab of Hizb ut-Tahrir. Dr. Iftikhar suffers from ulcerative colitis for which he has been taking strong medication, including daily oral steroids and more recently Cyclosporin A, a powerful immuno-suppressant. He has to undergo regular review by a surgeon because persistent poor health may require surgery to remove some of his gut at any time.
He was at first denied a special diet to prevent worsening of his illness and then denied medical review despite repeated appeals. Over three months since his arrest, a medical review finally took place and revealed a pitiful situation due to both his condition and the side effects of the strong medications he is taking. He has recurrent bouts of dizziness and his eyesight has weakened. He suffers from raised blood pressure as a side effect of his medication, whilst concurrently suffering from anemia due to blood loss through his bleeding gut. He has persistent fungal infections and swelling in his feet and experiences numbness in his hands and feet. His bones have thinned to the extent that he has been advised a bone scan and his muscles have atrophied such that he has difficulty standing up.

We ask those with sight and feeling in the judges, lawyers and human rights activists how they have allowed this to occur on their watch?! Is it not for the judge to judge by Islam and release the one who calls towards the Deen of His Lord (swt) from the dungeons of the tyrants? Is it not a right by law for all Muslims to call for the restoration of the Khilafah, in a land that was created in the name of Islam? Is the human right to expression reserved only for the one who defames Islam and not for the one who proclaims Islam as a salvation for all of humankind? Is it not high time that Dr. Iftikhar and the other shebaab of Hizb ut-Tahrir are granted relief from the injustice against them? Are the tyrants of our age, the followers of the ignoble example of Nimrud and Firawn, not making a mockery of justice under the banner of the “National Action Plan” which is an American plan to suppress Islam? Let those with sight and feeling heed and stand for what is right to send a clear message to the tyrants that you reject their condemnable stance towards the believers! Allah (swt) said,

وَمَا نَقَمُوا مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ

“And they resented them only because they believed in Allah, the Almighty, Worthy of all praise.”

[Surah Al-Barooj 85:8]

Finally, we say to this unjust regime and its entire apparatus, its rulers and its thugs, who call themselves security agencies, yet are hostile to Islam and its advocates, as well as the judges that collude with the tyrants and any others who bring harm the loyal servants of Allah (swt), that Dr. Iftikhar, along with his brothers from the shebaab of Hizb ut-Tahrir have sworn before Allah (swt) to strive their utmost for this Deen and revive this Ummah through the establishment of the Khilafah on the methodology of the Prophethood, which RasulAllah (saaw) gave glad tidings of. Dr. Iftikhar and those who proceeded him in bearing hardship at the hands of the tyrants, such as Naveed Butt, the official spokesman of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Pakistan, amongst others, will find a great reward with Allah (swt) inshaaAllah for they are on the path of Bilal (ra). So know, O criminals from the rulers, agencies and judiciary, that your condemnable stance will neither break the resolve of Dr. Iftikhar, Naveed and others, nor will it slow down the march to the Khilafah, for you are dealing with men who seek martyrdom and Firdaus. Know also that there are men with these heroes who are near the brink of achieving that which the Ummah yearns for and who will not forgive you for any harm that you have inflicted on Dr. Iftikhar and others. And when, soon inshaaAllah, the Khaleefah seizes you and avenges this Ummah for the harm that you caused her sons and at that time you will not find a place to hide, for even the corridors of the White House will not grant you sanctuary. The very least you can do now in the hope for easing your impending plight is that you immediately release Dr. Iftikhar, Naveed Butt and the others or else we remind you, lest you made yourself forget, that Allah (swt) said,

سَيَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَيَّ مُنْقَلَبٍ يَنْقَلِبُونَ

“And those who have wronged are going to know to what [kind of] return they will be returned.”

[Surah ash-Shu’araa 26:227]

Media Office of Hizb ut-Tahrir in the Wilayah of Pakistan

جج، وکلاء اور انسانی حقوق کی تنظیموں کے ان حضرات کے نام جو بینا ہیں اور حساس دل رکھتے ہیں