Reports indicate that the approval for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s repatriation comes after a request from Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui, stressing the urgency of bringing Dr. Aafia back to Pakistan.
The Islamabad High Court, presided over by Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan, held a hearing where key figures such as Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Duggal, a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui’s lawyer Imran Shafiq, and court assistant Zainab Janjua were present.
During the hearing, the Foreign Ministry’s representative informed the court that visa applications for the delegation had been submitted and were expected to be approved within a week. The government reassured the court of its full support for Dr. Fauzia’s efforts.
However, the Additional Attorney General revealed that Senator Irfan Siddiqui, initially expected to join the delegation, would be unable to travel due to personal reasons. Senator Bushra will now accompany the team to the U.S.
The court adjourned the case until January 13, awaiting further developments in the delegation’s efforts and Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s case.
In October 2024, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appealed to U.S. President Joe Biden for Dr. Siddiqui’s release on humanitarian grounds. However, the U.S. government maintained that it would keep its “diplomatic communications” on the matter private.
The Pakistani High Court had previously requested the government provide a comprehensive report on its diplomatic efforts to secure Dr. Siddiqui’s release. In response, the government submitted a letter dated October 13, which contained a direct appeal from PM Sharif to President Biden, urging him to reconsider Dr. Siddiqui’s case on humanitarian grounds.
Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the U.S. State Department, Vedant Patel, stated that while he wouldn’t comment on private diplomatic communications, inquiries about Dr. Siddiqui’s incarceration should be directed to the Department of Justice.
Currently, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is serving her sentence at a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas, without the possibility of parole. PM Sharif’s letter to President Biden emphasized that Siddiqui’s imprisonment has severely impacted her mental and physical health, expressing concern for her well-being, including the risk of self-harm. Sharif urged Biden to exercise his authority to grant clemency and secure her release on humanitarian grounds, emphasizing that millions of Pakistanis hoped for this act of compassion.
