Aafia Siddiqui case: court condemns US decision

ISLAMABAD: The hearing of Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s case regarding her repatriation was held in Islamabad Hight Court (IHC) on Friday. IHC Judge Sardar Ijaz Sadiq heard the case, lamenting the decision by United States government to not grant her clemency.

The former US President, Joe Biden, had rejected the clemency petition for Dr Aafia Siddiqui, the court was informed alongside the details that the US had refused to enter into a prisoner exchange treaty with Pakistan. Dr Fouzia Siddiqui and her US lawyer, Clive Smith, appeared in court via video link. The petitioner’s lawyer, Imran Shafiq, and the additional Attorney General were also present in court.

Sharing his remarks, Justice Ishaq said that the US was showing ‘Pakistan its place’.

The court observed that the former US president had pardoned his son but had not released our prisoner. A report citing details of the foreign visits of the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister was also presented to the court. Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also submitted a response regarding the Pakistani ambassador’s failure to meet with Dr Aafia Siddiqui in the US.

The court adjourned the hearing for two weeks.

In October 2024, the Government of Pakistan has written a letter to the US President, seeking clemency with PM Sharif personally addressing the letter to Biden, requesting a pardon for Dr Aafia. This development had been revealed by Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Duggal during a hearing at the Islamabad High Court.  

Amid already rampant reports of torture, it was revealed a few weeks ago that that Dr Aafia was not permitted to meet with Imam Omar Sulaiman. The imam attempted to visit her but he was stopped by the prison officials. He has shared that he has been trying to visit Dr Aafia, but he is being stopped to hide human rights abuses happening inside the prison.