'Dr Aafia Siddiqui doesn't want to return to Pakistan'

FO spokesperson does not rule out possible exchange of Dr Aafia Siddique for Dr Shakil Afridi with US

Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said on Tuesday that Aafia Siddiqui doesn't want to return back to the country.

Dr Faisal, who sat down for an interview with Independent Urdu, also said that rumours of her repatriation are false.

"She herself does not want to come back home [Pakistan], according to what I have heard," the FO spokesperson said, adding that the only chance Dr Aafia has of returning is if Prime Minister Imran Khan and US President Donald Trump meet in the future.

Aafia 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.

Dr Faisal went on to say if the meeting takes place then Aafia's exchange for Dr Shakeel Afridi could be mulled over.

Dr Afridi has been accused of helping the US in tracking down the then al Qaeda supremo Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad. Currently, he is in Peshawar prison.

Washington promises to review Dr Aafia Siddiqui's imprisonment

Last year, Fouzia Siddiqui, Aafia's sister, had requested Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to take up the matter with the US.

The foreign minister had said that the issue of Dr Aafia's repatriation was "being considered", following which Consul General in Houston Aisha Farooqui had met Aafia and urged Washington to "respect her human and legal rights".

Aasia Bibi's departure

When Faisal was asked about Aasia Bibi, the Christian woman who was acquitted last year by the Supreme Court over blasphemy allegations, said she is still in the country but could leave soon.

"I can tell you she hasn't left and is safe," he said, adding that after the apex court's orders she would leave Pakistan soon.

Foreign policy

Turning to foreign policy, he was asked whether it was coloured by politics and other departments, to which he said that "these decisions are taken at the office of the foreign affairs.

He, however, added that foreign policy is a mix of all policies including financial, commercial and security issues.

"This happens all over the world not just here you see... any country's security is tied with its foreign policy," he said.

Bilateral ties with India

Responding to a question on Pak-India ties, he said the government has stuck with a positive approach even in hard times with New Delhi.

"Honestly, it doesn't matter who takes the reins in New Delhi, we [Islamabad] wants to move forward with peace talks," he added.