Aafia Siddiqui's lawyer in US to arrive in Pakistan on May 4, IHC told

Pakistani neurologist Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s lawyer in the United States (US) has decided to reach Pakistan to attend the case hearing regarding the release and repatriation of her client, ARY News reported on Monday.

This was informed by the lawyer Imran Shafique during the hearing of a case related to the release and repatriation of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui.

The IHC was informed that Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s US-based attorney Clive Stafford Smith has decided to visit Pakistan. Smith is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on May 4.

Citing the arrival of Smith, Advocate Imran Shafiq requested the IHC to adjourn today’s hearing and set the next hearing for May 6 to allow time for consultation with Stafford Smith.

At this juncture, Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan, who was presiding over the hearing, inquired from the government representatives if they had any objections to the proposed date.

The law officer responded that there were no objections, and later, the court accordingly scheduled the next hearing for May 6.

The court noted the absence of the newly appointed Additional Attorney General, Umar Aslam, during the proceedings.

The hearing has now been adjourned until May 6 for further deliberation.

Read more: Pakistan govt rejects proposal to exchange Dr. Aafia Siddiqui for Shakil Afridi

On last hearing, the federal government told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) its position on the proposal to exchange Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s release for Shakil Afridi’s handover.

Background

Aafia Siddiqui was born in 1972 into an educated family in Karachi. She pursued her studies in the United States, earning a PhD in neuroscience from Brandeis University in 2001.

Known for her academic brilliance and religious devotion, her life took a significant shift when she was accused of having ties to ‘extremist organizations’ following the 9/11 attacks.

In 2008, she was arrested in Ghazni, Afghanistan, under controversial circumstances. She was accused of attempting to shoot American soldiers during an interrogation session, an incident that forms the core of the charges against her.

The U.S. authorities claimed that the Pakistani doctor, despite being detained, managed to grab a rifle and opened fire, though she did not hit anyone. In response, the U.S. personnel shot her in the abdomen, severely wounding her.