Dr. Aafia Siddiqui Appeals to U.S. President Joe Biden for Presidential Pardon Ahead of Leaving Office

Islamabad:Pakistani scientist Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, who is currently imprisoned in a U.S. jail, has made a formal appeal to U.S. President Joe Biden to pardon her on the eve of his departure from office.

According to British television reports, Dr. Siddiqui has requested the U.S. President to forgive her and grant her an early release as he prepares to step down from office, with just one day left in his presidency.

The report further revealed that President Biden’s last day in office is Sunday, after which the newly elected U.S. President, Donald Trump, will take over. Prior to this, Biden has already granted presidential pardons to 39 individuals, including his son.

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, expressed optimism about the chances of her receiving a pardon from President Biden. He also mentioned that, if Biden does not grant the pardon, there may still be hope for her under the Trump administration.

In her appeal, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui wrote that she has been a victim of injustice and deserves to be treated fairly. She expressed hope that the current U.S. administration would play a role in securing her release.

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui was sentenced to 86 years in prison by a U.S. court, following her conviction in 2010 for attempting to kill an FBI agent in Afghanistan. She has been held in U.S. custody since then.

Her lawyer has submitted a detailed dossier to President Biden, urging him to grant her clemency. Dr. Siddiqui herself expressed hope that new evidence might lead to her release.

“I hope I will not be forgotten, and I am hopeful that the day will come when I will be freed,” she said in a message sent through her lawyer.

Dr. Siddiqui’s lawyer has also presented a 76,500-word dossier to President Biden, urging him to act on her case. Although media reports have seen the dossier, independent verification of the claims related to Dr. Siddiqui has not yet been made. Stafford Smith has suggested that intelligence errors led to Dr. Siddiqui’s initial suspicion.

Dr. Siddiqui’s supporters continue to advocate for her release, highlighting the alleged miscarriage of justice she has faced.