The Foreign Office has sought legal advice from the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) regarding the government’s potential assistance in the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s release in an American court. Dr. Siddiqui is currently imprisoned in the United States.
The Islamabad High Court, headed by Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, heard the case concerning Dr. Siddiqui’s release and repatriation. During the proceedings, the court was informed that the Foreign Office had requested legal guidance from the AGP’s office on Pakistan’s possible intervention in the U.S. judicial case.
The Attorney General’s Office sought a 10-day extension to submit the government’s response, which the court approved, granting a one-week deadline for filing. The hearing has been adjourned until June 25.
Also read: Dr Afia Saddiqui tortured in prison by fellow inmate, Says Zahid Hafeez
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, has been imprisoned in the U.S. since 2008 after being convicted in 2010 on charges of attempted murder and assault of U.S. soldiers and FBI agents in Afghanistan. The U.S. government alleged that she opened fire on interrogators while in custody, though Siddiqui and her supporters claim the charges were fabricated. Her case has drawn widespread attention in Pakistan, where she is viewed by many as a victim of injustice, with calls for her repatriation. Before her arrest, Siddiqui had been missing for five years, during which her family alleged she was secretly detained. She is currently serving an 86-year sentence in a U.S. prison.
