Bringing Dr Aafia back
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ISLAMABAD: First formal request from Islamabad to Washington is expected next month for handing over Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who is serving a sentence in a high security prison in Texas.
Dr Aafia was accused of having links with al-Qaeda and had reportedly assaulted US military officials while being interrogated in Afghanistan's notorious Bagram Airbase, some five years ago.
She was sentenced to 86 years in prison by a federal judge in Manhattan on September 23, 2010, on charges of attempted murder, armed attack and carrying firearms.
Dr Aafia became a rallying cry for religious parties in the country soon after her arrest. Several mainstream political parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf have called for her repatriation to Pakistan.
A senior official of interior ministry told Dawn.com the recommendations were ready to be taken up by the federal cabinet in its next meeting. The formulators of the report have incorporated various citations from international conventions on diplomatic, humanitarians, political and legal grounds.
Nonetheless, the report suggests that extradition of Dr Aafia can only be done within the ambit of US laws. The report does not include any suggestion of swapping Dr Aafia with either the CIA facilitator, Dr Shakil Afridi, or some high profile Taliban prisoner.
Soon after assuming office Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan ordered senior officials to prepare the report in the light of applicable international conventions. He also held a meeting with Dr Aafia’s sister, Dr Fauzia Siddiqui, to show solidarity.
The official disclosed the government of Pakistan would invoke, at least, two international conventions namely Inter-State Convention on Extradition and European Convention on Extradition.
He stated that since Dr Aafia allegedly committed the crime in a third country, certain legal hitches could impede her repatriation to Pakistan from the United States. However, he said all issues could be resolved providing the Americans agreed to accept Pakistan’s viewpoint.
Interior Ministry spokesman Umer Hameed confimed the recommendations were ready for the federal cabinet’s consideration and approval. He said the legal aspect of the matter has been adequately addressed in the report.
Shahzad Raza is a freelance contributor. His twitter handle is @shahz79.
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Comments (39) Closed
Jul 25, 2013 09:39pm
If she has been found guilty of the crime, then she should serve the time ... same as anyone else.
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Jul 25, 2013 09:43pm
Dr. Siddiqui's arrest was facilitated by greedy people who wanted money for handing over Al-Qaeda sympathisers. She far from it. The attack of American soldiers was drummed up. She has become a statistics in American effort for catching terrorist supports. There was no basis for her conviction.
Musharaf who handed her over to Americans should also be accountable. In PPP's rule when American supply routes were closed, she should have been traded as a bargaining chip but perpetrators did not want to do that. Now chances of her release are minimal unless there is a political will to extract her out.
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Jul 25, 2013 09:53pm
A country like the USA , claiming to be the most superior in freedom and civilization is acting like
Nazis and Communist Regimes when they arrested Dr.Afia Siddiqui and the Judge who
sentenced her is/was/remain as as a shame on the name of Justice.Her freedom will definitely restore some lost honor/dignity of the USA.
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Jul 25, 2013 10:54pm
Not a chance. She committed a crime against the US. This is not Pakistani Kangaroo court.
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Jul 25, 2013 11:22pm
salam
We need to do everything required to bring back Dr aafia back to Pakistan. our religious and national pride compels us to
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Jul 25, 2013 11:23pm
She is a criminal, why waste any efforts on her?
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Jul 25, 2013 11:33pm
86 years sentence to a women is ridiculous and barbarous. To give prolong sentence one charge of attemted murder has been broken into three charges of attemted murder, armed attack and carrying fire arms. if some body attempts a muder, he will have to carry arm and attack with it. This judgement has made judicial system of USA a laughing stock. It is surprising how intrnational community has digested this injustice.
From now to 2014 is right time to get relief for Dr Afia. Demand for the release of Dr Afia is hundred per cent backed by people of Pakistan. Hope USA will not mis an opportunity for restoring good will Pakistan.
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Jul 26, 2013 12:11am
Isn't she a US citizen?
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Jul 26, 2013 01:33am
If any person can be solely responsible to mess up a legal case, it would be the Defendant Afia in her own case. As a practicisng attorney in USA, I had watched her case closely. She was totally uncooperative throughout the judicial proceedings. Good and reputable attorneys were appointed by the court to defend her, whom she fired and took the case in her own hands. We had all heard the old proverb, "A man who is his own attorney, has a fool for lawyer". She was screaming, yelling, making faces, went on hunger strike and was totally impolite with the judges and the prosecutor. She did not answer any of the relevant questions in this bizzare prosecutorial case which could have blown away but for the non-chalant attitude of Defendant Afia.
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Jul 26, 2013 01:36am
Sentencing somebody 86 years is crazy. Humans change every moment. People like Aafia should be reformed and given a new chance to life. Liberate her.
SW
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Jul 26, 2013 04:04am
Convicted individuals in jail can be exchanged under some circumstances, but cannot be released from prison altogether. She is likely to become yet another radical / militant when and if she comes back to Pakistan.
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Jul 26, 2013 05:15am
Why are we so emotional about certain matters .there are millions of Pakistanis in the west . whey are they not arrested and put n prison. What was she doing in Afghanistan . if she had links with a terrorist organisation then she is paying the price for it. Will we think about things rationally . I live in the west . why am I or millions of other Pakistanis not arrested . she was a dodgy character and t and religious parties will play emotional black mail with any thing. Let her rot in prison as she chose that for herself and concentrate on things that change you for good
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Jul 26, 2013 06:33am
why we r so interested in bringing a US citizen to pakistan .. maybe it is an effort to get dr.afridi released .. and fooling our public of getting afia
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Jul 26, 2013 07:11am
It will be foolish and out of context to ask for the release of Aafia. First of all she was an American citizen and secondly she was involved in links with terror groups of alQaeda. Anyone asking for her release should be considered in collusion with the activities of banned organisations. Pakistanis are themselves responsible for many mistakes and govt. Officials showing sympathy may be doing at their own are rather irresponsible.
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Jul 26, 2013 07:33am
Why is she so important ? Why should we die to bring her back ?
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Jul 26, 2013 07:50am
why woulkd she want to come back?
Prison conditions are so much better in the USA, and so bad in Pakistan.
The only treason she will want to come back is that they might release her when she returns.
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Jul 26, 2013 10:59am
I thought she was caught ran handed commiting a crime in afghanistan. why all this sympathy for a criminal. if she is a woman it does not mean that all women are angel. A Phd she is I wonder what she was doing in Afghanistan. trying to teach philisophy to talibans in turbans. what a joke it is.
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Jul 26, 2013 01:06pm
@gangadin:
your truth will hurt many in pakistan and abroad - can these same people see the state of the justice system in pakistan - you are right 'pakistani kangaroo court' - a recent example of the presidential election by the superior court ; asghar khan's case etc etc
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Jul 26, 2013 01:44pm
Leave her there. We have plenty of extremists here in Pakistan. Don't need another.
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Jul 26, 2013 03:28pm
@Nauman:
All Americans are criminals, for their AIPAC controlled rulers murderous activities in so many, mainly Muslim countries.
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Jul 26, 2013 03:30pm
@gangadin:
Your AIPAC controlled country is a kanagaroo court altogether.
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Jul 26, 2013 03:32pm
@illawarrior:
Why this so called Pakistani Newspaper is allowing so many anti-Pakistan posts to be published on here? Obviously DAWN is subservient to USA too.
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Jul 26, 2013 05:07pm
@Nauman:
So was Ramond Davis
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Jul 26, 2013 06:16pm
She did not kill anyone , when the the CIA guy who killed two Pakistanis went free ,why cant she be given a second chance. Laws can be changed for conveniences .
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Jul 26, 2013 06:26pm
Why are we keen to support return of a terrorist to Pakistan. Terrorists are terrorists. They dont have nationalities, religion etc. Pakistanis do not support her. It is only hardliner Jammat Islami Party and other relgious oufits who are making tto much fuss about nothing. Please recall that in recent past so many Alqaeda terrorists were captured while seeking refuge in houses belonging to Jamaat Islami leadership. No to her.
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Jul 26, 2013 07:08pm
Yes, we should definitely push to get this woman, who has lost part of her family and been imprisoned for many year back home to Pakistan, insha Allah.
Allah say in Surah An'am: "And when you voice an opinion, be just, even though it be [against] one near of kin."
Hadith of the Prophet saws:
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Jul 26, 2013 07:31pm
@Swaran Singh:
Mr. Singh you are a man with a heart,and a gentleman and a scholar.
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Jul 26, 2013 07:40pm
@Yousaf:
excellent sense of humor yousaf. i really laughed a lot.
cheers.
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Jul 26, 2013 07:43pm
Since we can't bring anything good from US lets import their prisnors
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Jul 26, 2013 07:59pm
@bharat:
Not only released with a string of roses round her neck but she could also be made Prime Minister or President in future
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Jul 26, 2013 08:18pm
Guys chill-this is a small act of a long plot. Shakil Afridi needs to be released/hand over to USA. Do you think US will forget Afridi to rot in jail. These acts will happen in tandem, first repatriate Afia and then send Afridi for some treatment or make him escape or something. Just wait and see the political game. Do not lose sleep over these things.
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Jul 26, 2013 08:42pm
@Sania:
And so was Osama Bin Laden.
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Jul 26, 2013 08:43pm
@Yousaf:
well said
dont need a proven terrorist who was involved in blood diamond trade to fund terrorism
divorced her Pakistani husband for an Al-qaeda inner circle leader
and repaid the country that gave her the doctorate by plotting to attack it.
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Jul 26, 2013 08:46pm
@Ilyas Bukhari: Really!!! Some honor.
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Jul 26, 2013 09:57pm
@Gregory:
looks like you were refused usa visa - wait till you come across the court in pakistan yourself
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Jul 27, 2013 02:42am
Its a shame that most of us can be so very inhumane and lack empathy for someone like Dr Affia..I would say there is no cure for a creul heart as it feeds on creulty and injustice.we as a nation stand with her and will always do.the lot that has no empathy can go have acoke and enjoy...
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Jul 27, 2013 05:48am
@Gregory:
You have revealed yourself by your posting zealousness that you are courting extreme views . Your use of absolutes such as" All Americans are criminals,..." didn't even jolt you!
Calm down, man.
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Jul 27, 2013 08:21am
@Yousaf:
I fully agree with Mr.Yousuf. Afia Siddiqui should spend her life in Jail there and leave us in peace.
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Jul 27, 2013 02:23pm
No question of release. She made a conscious decision by involving in terror activities and she was obviously aware of the consequences. Let her rot in the slammer for life and make an example for all Pakistanis.
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