Govt promises to do all it take

MNA's protest to mount 'moral pressure' on US govt.


Express September 28, 2010

ISLAMABAD: The government on Monday promised to make ‘every possible effort’ for the repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqi from the US, as the National Assembly cut proceedings short to let lawmakers hold a protest walk against her conviction by an American court.

A Manhattan court last week awarded Siddiqi, a US-graduated Pakistani neuroscientist, an 86-year prison term for her alleged al Qaeda connections five years after she disappeared from her home in Karachi.

Members from the National Assembly walked on a main boulevard in front of parliament to mount what they called moral pressure on the US government to repatriate Siddiqi, also dubbed by the western media as Lady Qaeda.

The angry MPs called the punishment by the US court an injustice and said it was based on American prejudice and obsession with Islam and Muslims.

Legislators from all political parties took part in the protest, which they said was to express solidarity with a “daughter of the nation” and her family back home. Talking to media at the end of the march, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, said the government must step up diplomatic efforts to make sure that Aafia returns. “Every possible channel should be used,” Nisar said.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl ur Rehman Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman warned America of a severe backlash for keeping Siddiqi in jail and urged the administration in Washington to release her.

Earlier during brief proceedings in the house, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the government was taking all possible steps to convince American administration for the repatriation of Siddiqi.

The minister informed the house that the lawyers hired by the Pakistan government to fight the case had been called to Islamabad to prepare a plan to submit a request for her repatriation.

According to television reports on Sunday, the US administration had offered Pakistan the release of Siddiqi if Islamabad signed two agreements with Washington on the swapping of prisoners.

Malik, however, did not mention whether the Pakistani government had decided to make the agreements with the US.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2010.

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