Islamabad High Court Seeks Government’s Response on Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s Release

Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has asked the Additional Attorney General to provide answers regarding the release and repatriation of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, who is currently imprisoned in the United States.
During the hearing, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan questioned whether the Pakistani government would offer judicial assistance in Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s case in the U.S. courts. The court also asked if the government was willing to submit a statement in support of Dr. Siddiqui’s request for release on humanitarian grounds.
Dr. Fozia Siddiqui’s lawyer, Advocate Imran Shafiq, requested the court to direct the government to express its willingness to provide judicial assistance in the U.S. legal proceedings, without necessarily endorsing or confirming the contents of Dr. Aafia’s petition.
Justice Sardar Ejaz remarked that such a simple request from the government should not cause any harm. He referred to a statement made by Pakistan’s Attorney General, Mansoor Usman Awan, during a previous hearing, where the Attorney General had assured that the government would seek judicial assistance in the matter.
The judge questioned why there was now reluctance from the government, and asked the Additional Attorney General to clarify the position and explain what harm the government would face by supporting the petition for Dr. Siddiqui’s release. Justice Ejaz also pointed out that when former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was in opposition, he had written letters urging the then Prime Minister to take legal action for Dr. Aafia’s release. The judge asked, “What has changed in the government’s stance since then?”
He further noted that there were precedents where Pakistan had previously submitted judicial assistance statements in similar cases. The court instructed the Additional Attorney General to consult with the authorities and return with a satisfactory response at the next hearing, scheduled for Wednesday.