Pakistani delegation meets Aafia Siddiqui in Texas jail

TEXAS: A Pakistani delegation comprising parliamentarians and a psychiatrist met imprisoned Pakistani citizen Dr Aafia Siddiqui at Texas jail in the United States.

A delegation, which included Senator Bushra Anjum, Senator Talha Mehmood, and psychiatrist Dr Iqbal Afridi held almost three-hour-long meeting with Dr Aafia in jail on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Dr Aafia informed delegation of the difficulties she was facing and expressed hope to get justice, a member of the visiting team said.

The delegation’s visit is part of Pakistan’s efforts to secure release of Dr Aafia, which has time and again urged the US authorities to consider and revisit her case.

The Pakistani delegation also met Congressmen and State Department officials to plead Aafia Siddiqui case to convince the authorities to release her on humanitarian grounds.

The delegation has also appealed President Biden to release her before the end of his Presidential term on January 20, 2025.

Siddiqui was awarded 86-year sentence in 2010 on charges of attempted murder and assault of US personnel in Afghanistan jail. She is serving the jail term in a high-security prison in, Fort Worth, Texas.