Pakistan is writing a letter to the US, again, seeking the repatriation of Pakistani neuroscientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui, incarcerated in the US.
A New York-based court had found Aafia guilty of attempted murder of US military personnel in Afghanistan. She is currently serving 86-year jail sentence.
“We will adopt all legal and appropriate measures for the release of Dr Aafia,” said Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
It will be the second time that the ministry of interior through, the foreign ministry of Pakistan, will write to Washington for Aafia’s repatriation. On September 2010, Islamabad had written to the US attorney-general, requesting that the Pakistani neuroscientist be repatriated to her homeland.
Dr Aafia’s sister, Dr Fowzia Siddiqui, wrote a letter to President Asif Ali Zardari titled “Aafia’s upcoming appeal process, the role of your government, and broken promises” on February 10, 2012. She wrote the same day a US Court was hearing an appeal in her sister’s case. She expressed concerns over the attorneys pleading the case. After more than a year, a US court of appeals for the second circuit heard an appeal of Aafia’s case in New York last month.
Interior ministry officials dealing with the case told The Express Tribune that Aafia could be deported to her home country under the UN convention for exchange/repatriation of prisoners on humanitarian grounds. But unfortunately, Pakistan is yet to sign this convention, they added.
The letter might also be written on grounds relating to the investigation report based on the International Justice Network, which revealed that a senior security official kidnapped Aafia from Karachi and handed her over to the CIA, Dr Fowzia told The Express Tribune. But even she termed this appeal a futile effort.
Pakistani Ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman is also making efforts for the repatriation of Aafia. Last month, she met Tina Foster, Aafia’s counsel in the US, and discussed the case, any ease in sentence and her return to Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Aafia’s family wrote a letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon requesting his help in securing her return to Pakistan. “It (Aafia’s repatriation) is a singularly comprehensive yet simple and unambiguous act. It is one that can lead to new respect for and confidence in the United Nations as an instrument of international peace and cooperation,” the letter stated.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 4th, 2012.
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So Pakistanis will stand up for a convicted felon who tried to kill her co-workers, while offering no protection or justice to women who are raped or have been attacked with acid.
Nothing says more about Pakistan than their odd support for Aafia Siddiqui and their lack of support for Fakhra Yunnus that lead to her suicide. This is the real face of Pakistan.
@Hassan Ahmed: What Humanitarian Grounds?
@Harry Stone: "Actually Raymond Davis was a diplomat. He carried a diplomatic passport. PAK being the outlaw nation that it is chose not to honor his passport. At some point in the future this will come back to haunt PAK. "
In my comment didn't I mention "person having some sense of fairness".
@Samir: "Did you make this up? Where is it coming from? Got any proof? Or is spreading rumors about how the world is out to get you a national pastime in Pakistan?"
My guess is you are referring to my post summarizing the incident of Mahmudiyah killings. Every single word is truth without even slightest of exaggeration. Here is the authentic link for details.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmudiyah_killings
@Truth Seeker: Actually Raymond Davis was a diplomat. He carried a diplomatic passport. PAK being the outlaw nation that it is chose not to honor his passport. At some point in the future this will come back to haunt PAK.
@Truth Seeker: Did you make this up? Where is it coming from? Got any proof? Or is spreading rumors about how the world is out to get you a national pastime in Pakistan?
@Zeta:
Maybe the US will send her body back.....Will that make you happy?
@zeta its people like afia and yourself that make pakistan the laughing stock of the world community, please calm down , go get youself a ice cold shezaan and relax.
There is no treaty or provision under US law that would permit a convicted felon to serve their time in Pakistan so this is another publicity stunt by a weak and ineffective govt. BTW someone should inform your illustrious Ambassador that Tina Foster isn't Aafia's legal council which is more evidence that the Ambassador is spending time pandering for photo ops rather than doing anything of substance.
@Zeta: Why don't read what happens in all the so-called Islamic states? Look here is one:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/345224/muzaffargarh-revenge-plot-10-women-stripped-one-paraded-naked/
We are a hypocrite nation. We always defend the guilty and punish the innocent, while hiding behind the banner of ISLAM.
Again, look at YOURSELF before screaming at others.
Have we run out of women denied justice in the land of the pure , that we have to go hunting for non pakistani citizens (accused of terrorism) to defend ??? let the US keep her to serve as a deterent to the next faisal shahzad or afiya siddiqui.
If you choose to emigrate , benefit from a society and want to destroy it because of your own crazy beliefs , they have the right to lock you up forever.
All countries are not pakistan you know where you can get away with just about anything.
@Zeta
Rapists, Murders, fraudsters get 10x less than what they put it on Aafia Siddiqui. a clear simple straightforward fake charge.
I think you just love to flaunt your ignorance. Consider this,
A.Dudley Wayne Kyzer, who had brutally murdered his wife, mother in law, and a college student, was sentenced, in 1981in Tuscaloosa, in the state of Alabama, to what remains the longest term in US history.
The judge ruled that because of the brutality of the crimes, he would serve ten thousand years for his wife’s murder, plus an additional life sentences for each of his other crimes.
B.Darron Bennalford Anderson, of Oklahoma, was found guilty in 1994, of crimes ranging from rape, to kidnapping, larceny, robbery and kidnapping. His initial sentence was two thousand two hundred years.
AND IN IRAN
C.On the fifteenth of June 1969, two conmen found this out to their peril. The judge in their case decided to give them sentences equal to the number of their transgressions. Each ended up with sentences of seven thousand, one hundred and nine years.
The moral of the story? When you’re in Iran, make sure your business dealings are completely, one hundred percent above board, or pay the price! http://akorra.com/2010/03/04/top-10-longest-prison-sentences-in-the-world/
And what did Dr Aafia get?
I have full faith in the justice system of the United States. She's done the crime now let her do the time. This does not concern the GOP.
Why?? Don't we have enough terrorists here already?? And the people who are supporting her, go and do some research first
@DevilHunterX: We are talking about God Perfect American (in)justice. How about you stick to that? Pakistan courts may not be perfect, but we claiming it to be champions of justice.
Rapists, Murders, fraudsters get 10x less than what they put it on Aafia Siddiqui. a clear simple straightforward fake charge.
Thanks Mosherraf
Is all this not strange. Our courts give clean chit to our own homegrown terrorists due to lack of evidence and if a women belonging to a certain political/religious party is convicted in a foreign land then we start shouting and destroying our own properties??? Why don't we first look inwards to our positions towards minorities and also towards what is happening between members of the same faith and one Book. Why don't we collectively raise our voices when people are pulled out of the buses, get checked their ID cards and shoot them with no fear of Almighty Allah???
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: Go through her first husband's statement where there is lots of information. She was picked up from Afghanistan and is an American citizen.
Aafia Siddiqui (Dr) gave up Pakistan and Pakistani citizenship long time ago and benefitted from all the goodies her new found country had offered (paid university education etc.), which is fine by me. However, if she decides to betray the interests of the country of her newly acquired citizenship then I don't wished to be dragged in her quarels with her country and its laws and her stand on it----it's her cup of tea and she should enjoy it. By the way, it's also important for us all to realize that some people, Aafia Siddiqui included, consider loyalties as used socks which can and should be changed as and when it suits their sense of need. I'm as a loyal Pakistan citizen who cares about Pakistan and its laws do not wish these idiots in politics to go around throwing our meagre resources after a sickos like this American woman. Let's be a little considerate and pasionate for all those starving Pakistani children and women who struggle to survive without an opportunity to improve their lives. If the isuue is her claim to our common belief, even then I think there's no room for terrorism in our religion and breach of trust also must be condemned and this Aafia Siddiqui has clearly violated both norms of civility as well as trust (that her new country entrusted in her).
@Zeta: I am sure there have been no double standards in Pakistan. Ever. Those silly minorities in Pakistan are screaming over nothing, right?
First fix your own house before screaming at others.
Here is a starter for you, go read about Mohammad Abdus Salam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdus_Salam
Could there be a more tactless country in the world? Every single chance you get you back up a terrorist and attempt to jail the ones against them and still claim you're not supporters of it. At least put some effort into not looking like liars.
General Musharraf handed over many more Pakistani
s branding them as "Islamic Militants" & not just Dr. Aafia. Why are we not bothered when there are many Pakis jailed & only interested in Dr Aafia who`s a American.@DevilHunterX: Double standards of American justice is quite apparent. They could have been charged her with attempted case of murder, but yeah since she is Muslim, She's born terrorist.
Pervez Musharraf might be getting unusual boners seeing her treatment there. physical and mental torture is routine
@Zeta: Still does NOT change the fact that she has been convicted as TERRORIST. The number of years behind bars is another matter.
@xzy: convicted terrorist? You are really lowlife person aren't? 81 years for an attempted murder. but 7 years or less for those us military soldiers massacred thousands of civilians in iraq and afghanistan. instant release of raymond davis for killing 3 civilians.
Well, she is a convicted terrorist and must rot in jails. She brought shame to the real name of Islam. JI and other political parties are only scoring political points while in essence all the Jihadi philososphy taught by these extremists parties and practiced by some is rubbish as far a true Islam is concerned. How can these people compare with Western people whose children spend 12-13 hours studying for 16-18 years, they spend extraordinary money on education, produce best weapons and systems to protect themselves while our Jihadis merely shout empty slogans to misguide the populace, remain uneducated backward, as a nation beg to them for money and then somehow consider equal to them.
The USA should send her back to Pakistan in exchange for the Pakistani doctor and the other ten or so Pakistanis who assisted America in locating Bin Laden, and who are now being detained by the Pakistani government. What difference is one more terrorist sympathizer roaming around a country full of them? Use her to do some good and win the freedom of Pakistanis who have shown themselves to be true friends of America.
So much hue and cry over a convicted terrorist, and no cries for justice for these PAKISTANI WOMEN. http://tribune.com.pk/story/345224/muzaffargarh-revenge-plot-10-women-stripped-one-paraded-naked/ Do they not deserve justice just because USA was not involved?
Why do we need another terrorist back on our soil? Her second husband's uncle was Khalid Sheikh. The person who planned the Twin Towers attack. Khalid Sheikh named her as an accomplice when being interrogated. In 2004 she was named by the FBI as the seventh most wanted person on earth. She was captured in 2008 in Afghanistan, with a bag full of explosive recipes and notes on creating a WMD. If anyone wants to know about the real Afia read what her first husband has to say about her. Its funny how her family is minting money on her name and no one speaks about that ...
First, think of innocents in Pakistan jails. Second, think of Balochis who evaporated without a trace. Third, think of flood victims who are in a pathetic living conditions. Fourth, think of the families of the armed forces killed by our own terrorists. Aafia Siddiqui is a Pakistani-born US citizen, and US know what to do with their own people.
Chasing another lost cause...
@Ahmer Ali: Innocent, please read the statements of her first husband, and i believe the US judicial system is better than any in the Islamic world, it is more fair, she has a part, study on US money, make a future and than conspire, wow, great innocence.
@Ahmer Ali When you attempt to get out of this slavish mindset you get labelled the ghairat brigade.
We simply are slaves of Americans. I am not Anti- America but when something seems to be wrong, I am against it. American Govt. shook Pakistan Govt. over Raymond Davis case, but "Vise versa" is something like impossible, or not even intended to, for Dr Aafia. Hope to see a positive response from Washington at least on Humanitarian Grounds..
@ Ahmer ali.. beggars can not be choosers
More of the same from the land of the pure.... everyone in PAK is innocent........which is why it is the land of the pure.
To US authorities: Please exchange Aafia Siddiqui with the release of Aasia Bibi and hundreds of other innocent people languishing in Pakistani jails on the basis of an oppressive constitution and a hateful ideology.
The so called friend of Pakistan has sentenced Aafia Siddiqui to 80+ years jail.
It was Musharraf who handed over Aafia Siddiqui to US Government.
If Musharraf wants to win election than he MUST bring Aafia Siddiqui back to Pakistan in the same flight in which he intend to come to Pakistan, otherwise people of Pakistan will not allow to land Musharraf's Aircraft to enter into Pakistan's Airspace and Musharraf has to spend his remaining life into exile.
That is for sure.
Pakistani leaders please keep it in your minds firmly and strongly that Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is not Raymond Davis and you are beggars and slaves and the beggars and slaves don't have rights,powers,vales,importance and authorities like the owners this is why your every effort to release Dr. Aafia Siddiqui shall be useless and fruitless.You released Raymond Davis who was confirmed killer but Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is absolutely and precisely innocent.