Pakistan

Pakistan asks for Aafia’s repatriation

Dr Afia could be deported under UN Convention for Exchange/Repatriation of Prisoners on Humanitarian Grounds.

September 19, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik has written a letter to the US attorney-general’s office, seeking repatriation of Pakistani neuroscientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui.

He said “Dr Aafia’s case has become a matter of public concern in Pakistan and her repatriation to Pakistan would create goodwill for the US.” He said there is also a human angle to this living episode, as her two children are living in a constant state of uncertainty, which is having a telling effect on their health. Secondly, the aging mother of Dr Aafia is suffering from depression.

The minister further said that Dr Afia could be deported to Pakistan under the UN Convention for Exchange/Repatriation of Prisoners on Humanitarian Grounds.

He said that he would appreciate if he (the US attorney-general) personally looked into the matter and used his office, for helping repatriation of Dr Aafia to Pakistan. Reportedly, there are over 90 precedents in the legal history of the US where cases against such individuals were dropped on humanitarian or political grounds under the UN Convention.

As directed by the prime minister, the interior minister has spoken to the mother of Dr Aafia and briefed her about the actions taken by the government for the repatriation of her daughter.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (3)

Abdur Rehman Maani | 13 years ago | Reply Well, i am on the horns of dilemma whether she has been sentenced rightly or wrongly. The scenario is quite blurred and the vividness of the case is really lacks among, i think all the communities of the people of Pakistan. By dint of the so called vibrancy of our National Media, common people have got a one sided picture that may be portrayed just have a solid business in the market. But where does the International Media stands? No one is really able to figure out. So the basic requirement of wisdom compels us to look into the matter quite deeply. I have some questions regarding Dr. Afia's personality and about her detention under US custody in Afghanistan and later in the US. My first question is that is there anyone in this country who did know Ms Afia before his arrival in the spot light? Since, she was a Pakistani national then what was she doing in Afghanistan? Why our national Media did not break her story first as it was done by a foreign journalist? So as the matter of fact, this is the need of the time whether she's guilty or not she is a Pakistani National and International Law doesn't allow US to try any foreign national on their land and she should have been tried in Pakistan as we have also our free judiciary and rule of law. Since the United States claims that the war against terrorism is pakistan's own war so ultimately Dr afia must be dealt right accordingly here in Pakistan.

yasmeen farrukh | 13 years ago | Reply look! pakistan is paying a high cost of war against terrorism which is actually war for America.During this imposed war hunders of thousands of our citizen has been killed by Drone Attacked. And now only for one single lady, Dr Afia, we can not built pressure on America.i consider it the failure of our government and the failure of our foreign policy.if i say that we have no foriegn policy it will be a most apporpriate statment.But i warn the government if it does not take immediate meaures for the freedom of Dr. Afia, it will have to face sever cosquences within the country. it is the issue of our dignity.

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