PM raised issue of Aafia Siddiqui during US visit, Qureshi tells NA

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says Prime Minister Imran Khan raised the issue of the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui during his recent visit to the United States, reported ARY News.

The foreign minister’s written response on the matter was presented during a session of the National Assembly with its deputy speaker Qasim Suri in the chair today.

He stated in his reply that Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s sister had met him ahead of the prime minister’s US trip.

Qureshi said the prime minister raised the matter of Ms Siddiqui’s release during his visit to the US.

He said the incumbent government is completely familiar with the matter and making efforts to bring her back home.

Last month, Prime Minister Imran Khan, responding to a question about Dr Shakil Afridi during an interview with Fox News in Washington, had said Pakistan can negotiate his release if the US is willing to release Aafia Siddiqui.

‘The way it (the Abbottabad Operation) was done it really embarrassed Pakistan at a time when we were an ally with the US in war on terror.”

“We also have someone in US prison, a frail woman called Afia Siddiqui and we could negotiate his release,” the prime minister said.