The piece is interesting but I don’t think the writer quite nails the problem although she dioes come from very close.
LONDON: This is with reference to Farzana Versey's article 'Untouchable Aafia' (September 28). The piece is interesting from a new perspective but I don’t think the writer quite nailed the problem although she did come from very close. The ‘blonde brigade’ were quite vocal at the time of Aafia’s arrest because they were campaigning for a brilliant, young neuro scientist who they saw pictured in the media on her graduation day with hair uncovered. Sadly they lost interest when they discovered that Aafia normally wears a hijab and is a God-fearing woman who learned the Holy Quran and its meaning becoming a hafiz. Sadly these days being an observant Muslim is often equated with fanaticism.
The Jamaat Islami are not political opportunisits and it was their very active female wing which lobbied and campaign strongly for Aafia. I’ve met many of their female activists and these are no subjigated or oppressed women, far from it. The only other political party which gave me a great deal of help in highlighting and publicising Aafia’s case was the Tehreek-e-Insaf. As for political opportunism, we’ve seen it in evidence in the last few days from ministers and top diplomats to other senior politicians who are now all jumping up and down and demanding justice for Aafia.
On the issue of al Qaeda, the opening sentence given by the prosecution was a firm statement saying Aafia was not al Qaeda, nor was she a member of any other terrorist organisation.
I do hope the writer will follow her instincts and continue writing about Aafia because she (the writer) is very close to the uncomfortable truth about a case which, as she rightly points out, has become unnecessarily complex.
Yvonne Ridley
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2010.
