Senator Mushtaq hopes Aafia Siddiqui's sooner return to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmed on Monday said that there is hope of Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s return to Pakistan, ARY News reported.

“Seeing the struggle, it seems Aafia Siddiqui will soon bring back to home,” Senator Mushtaq said while talking with the media here.

“There is no difficulty in her return only some hard work required,” he said.

Clive Safford Smith, noted human rights attorney and lawyer in Dr Aafia Siddiqui case, talking to media, has said that a confidential letter has been given by the US government to the court. “The letter suggests, how Aafia Siddiqui can be brought back to home,” he said.

“The court was not informed about the mental and physical torture suffered by Aafia Siddiqqui,” the lawyer said. “She subjected to more cruelty than other prisoners,” the counsel said.

“If the torture, she subjected to, came on the record, she hadn’t sentenced,” he said.

He said that US visa has been issued to Dr Fowzia Siddiqui, sister of Aafia Siddiqui, now she has to visit the US. “Aafia Siddiqui’s lawyer, Clive Safford Smith, will also be accompanied with her during her visit to the sister”.

The counsel said that the Prime Minister has assured Fowzia Siddiqui about return of her sister to the country. “Hopefully the matter will be resolved soon,” he said.

Aafia Siddiqui’s lawyer in an earlier press conference in Lahore said that more efforts are needed within Pakistan to secure the release of Dr Siddiqui as hurdles in her return appear to be originating in Pakistan.

He said the Aafia case is the worst example of human rights violations, adding that her emotional trauma is even worse than that of Guantanamo prisoners.