The lawyer representing Pakistani neurologist Dr. Aafia Siddiqui in the United States, Clive Stafford Smith, has decided to visit Pakistan to attend a case hearing regarding her release and repatriation.
Imran Shafique, Aafia Siddiqui’s local lawyer, informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) of Smith's decision during a hearing on Monday.
Smith is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on May 4, as confirmed by Shafique. In light of this development, Shafique requested that the IHC adjourn the current hearing and set the next date for May 6 to allow for consultation with Smith.
Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan, who was presiding over the hearing, asked government representatives if they had any objections to the proposed date.
The law officer confirmed there were no objections, and the court subsequently scheduled the next hearing for May 6.
The IHC also noted the absence of newly appointed Additional Attorney General Umar Aslam during the proceedings. The case has now been adjourned until May 6 for further deliberation.
Earlier, during the previous hearing, the federal government rejected the proposal to exchange Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s release for the handover of Dr. Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani doctor convicted of assisting the CIA in locating Osama bin Laden.
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, born in 1972 in Karachi, Pakistan, was an accomplished neuroscientist who earned a PhD from Brandeis University in 2001.
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui's case began in 2003 after the capture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), Al-Qaeda’s 9/11 mastermind. Siddiqui, reportedly married to KSM’s nephew, disappeared with her children in Karachi, later earning the title “Lady Al-Qaeda” due to alleged links with Al-Qaeda.
In 2008, she was arrested in Afghanistan, allegedly carrying sodium cyanide and plans for attacks on US targets. During interrogation, Siddiqui reportedly wrestled hold of a US soldier's rifle and attempted to shoot US agents, shouting “Death to America.” She was wounded in the process and later showed signs of severe mistreatment.
Siddiqui's son was released in Afghanistan, while her other two children’s whereabouts remain unknown. In 2010, she was convicted of attempted murder in the US and sentenced to 86 years, though she was never charged with direct ties to terrorism.
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