PM Shehbaz meets Dr Aafia’s sister, assures all possible legal, diplomatic support

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Friday met with Dr. Fouzia Siddiqui, sister of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, and assured that the government would continue to provide all possible legal and diplomatic support in the matter of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, ARY News reported.

The government is in no way negligent regarding the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, the prime minister said.

On the instructions of PM Shehbaz Sharif, the government has previously provided diplomatic and legal assistance in the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a press statement issued by the PM Office said.

Furthermore, the prime minister not only wrote a letter to then U.S. President Joe Biden regarding this issue but also formed a committee headed by Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Azam Nazeer Tarar, to ensure further progress in the matter.

The committee will remain in contact with Dr. Fouzia Siddiqui and will work to provide the necessary support in this regard, the statement added.

Earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a show-cause notice to the federal cabinet for contempt of court in the case pertaining to the release and repatriation of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui.

The hearing, presided over by Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan, was held on a petition filed by Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui, sister of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, who is currently imprisoned in the United States.

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Justice Ijaz Ishaq expressed strong displeasure over the federal government’s failure to submit a report explaining its refusal to assist in Dr. Aafia’s case before a U.S. court, despite being directed to do so in June.

“If the federal government’s report is not presented, I will summon the entire cabinet. Why shouldn’t contempt proceedings be initiated against all cabinet members, including the Prime Minister?” the judge remarked.

The court granted the government time to submit the report, warning of serious legal consequences for further delays.

The hearing was attended by Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui’s lawyer, Imran Shafiq, and Additional Attorney General Rashid Hafeez, representing the federal government.

The judge emphasized that he was determined to provide justice, even on a holiday, and would not allow administrative powers to obstruct judicial authority. “In the past, the judges’ roster has been used to influence decisions in specific cases. I will not let justice be defeated,” Justice Ijaz declared. He vowed to use his judicial powers to uphold the dignity of the high court.

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.