Pakistan

Washington promises to review Dr Aafia Siddiqui's imprisonment

FO says Pakistan has been raising the issue with the US on a regular basis

News Desk November 07, 2018

FO says Pakistan has been raising the issue with the US on a regular basis. PHOTO: FILE

Washington has promised to look into a request made by Islamabad to review Dr Aafia Siddiqui's detention in view of respecting her human and legal rights.

Pakistan has been raising the issue with the United States on a regular basis, the Foreign Office said on Wednesday.

Siddiqui has been behind bars since 2010 on charges of attempted murder and mounting an assault on US military personnel and is serving an 86-year sentence at the Federal Medical Centre, Carswell, Fort Worth in Texas.

Government of Pakistan has been raising the issue of Dr. Afia Siddiqui with US authorities regularly. Pakistan’s CG in Houston pays Consular visits to Dr. Siddiqui, periodically, to inquire about her wellbeing and conveys her messages to Dr. Afia’s family if any. 1/2
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) November 7, 2018

The issue was also raised by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in yesterday's meeting with US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells.

"Pakistan's Consul General in Houston Ayesha Farooqui regularly visits Siddiqui to inquire on her wellbeing, as well as, to convey any of her messages to family," the FO statement read.

'Help me, I'm innocent': Aafia Siddiqui's plea to PM Imran

Qureshi is also set to meet Siddiqui's sister in Islamabad soon.

Yesterday, Siddiqui had penned a letter addressed to Prime Minister Imran Khan pleading her innocence and calling for him to help in her release.

Issue of respecting the human and legal rights of Dr. Afia Siqqiqui was also raised in meeting at MoFA with Ambassador Alice Wells on 6 November. US side has promised to look into our request. Foreign Minister will soon meet with the sister of Dr. Afia Siddique in Islamabad. 2/2
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) November 7, 2018

The Foreign Office sources had confirmed that Siddiqui gave the letter to Farooqui when she had come to visit her at the correctional facility in October.

“You [Imran] have always lent your support to my release in the past, You have also always remained by hero,” the letter read.

COMMENTS (5)

numbersnumbers | 6 years ago | Reply All should read transcript of her trial before deciding who is “innocent”!

brandy | 6 years ago | Reply @Ghouse But her husband don’t want her release . You mean the one in Guantanamo or the one that remains free who provided additional testimony against her? This lady doesn't deserve sympathy. Anywhere but the West she would have been executed by now.

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cuban | 6 years ago | Reply That review should take about 1 second. It would take an executive pardon to free Aafia and the chances of Trump issuing a pardon for Aafia is close to zero. Rather than pandering to the religious right we should spend our diplomatic efforts on something that might help Pakistan.

Ghouse | 6 years ago | Reply But her husband don't want her release.

KD | 6 years ago | Reply This troubled extremist is a US citizen first therefore she should stay in their custody. She must pay for the crimes she committed on the people who gave her scholarships and citizenship. Yes we have a huge lot with sympathizer tendency for people like her, and thats what she is taking advantage of. But I hope she never sees a day out of a US prison!

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