By By Jamal Khurshid
The Pakistani ambassador in Washington is engaged in dialogue with senior officials of the US administration for the repatriation of Dr Aafiya Siddiqui, an official of the ministry of foreign affairs told the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday.
“The repatriation of Dr Aafiya Siddiqui to Pakistan has to be considered within the ambits of US law, as her case is sub-judice before the court,” Foreign Ministry Director Imran Ali said in his comments.
The court was hearing the petition that challenged the continuous detention of Dr Aafiya Siddiqui by US authorities, and had sought the whereabouts of her two children and their immediate repatriation. Filing a pro bono petition, Intekhab Alam Suri and Imran Ahmed of the Human Rights Network had submitted to the court that Dr Aafiya Siddiqui, a resident of Karachi, was allegedly kidnapped by law enforcement agencies (LEAs) along with her three children from Gulshan-e-Iqbal in March 2003. The petitioners had alleged that US agencies, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), were also involved in the operation. They had submitted that threats were issued to Dr. Aafiya’s family to remain silent on the matter, or else their lives would be in danger.
Upon the court directives for filing comments on the petition, the foreign ministry official said that the Pakistani ambassador to the US was in touch with American authorities to facilitate her repatriation. He said that there is a lack of supporting evidence to prove charges of assault and attempted murder. Further, grounds for her repatriation have also been made due to her poor health condition, Pak-US bilateral relations, and the involvement of lobbyists in Washington.
He said that US authorities have maintained that they have no knowledge about the whereabouts of the two missing children, Maryum and Suleman. Afghan authorities had also conveyed to the Pakistan mission in Kabul that Dr Aafiya was arrested along with her son Ahmed, and they have no further knowledge of her other children.
The officer submitted that the ministry was not aware of the circumstances of her reported disappearance, adding that the interior ministry might undertake efforts through relevant agencies and the detainee’s family to find the whereabouts of the children in Pakistan.
He said that Dr Aafiya’s case is being taken up with the US embassy on a regular basis, and they have emphasized that medical treatment should be provided to her if needed. Ali said that they have also urged providing Dr Aafiya with regular consular access.
He mentioned that the US State Department had informed them that they did not know the whereabouts of the detainee prior to July 17 last year. They also assured them that she was being provided with medical care, and her condition was being monitored on regular basis. US authorities also informed that consular access had been provided to officials of the Pakistan embassy, while her brother also met her. He said that her repatriation can only be processed through US law as she was facing criminal charges.
Referring to the medical report stating that Dr Aafiya was unable to understand the nature and consequences of proceedings, he said that the government had also made a formal request for her repatriation on humanitarian grounds, and in the interest of bilateral relations. He added that two conferences were held by the court with the defence and prosecution counsels to consider whether she was competent to face trial or not.
The interior ministry’s deputy secretary submitted that efforts were being made through diplomatic channels, and the status of the case has to be explained by the US government.
Petitioner’s counsel sought time to file a rejoinder to the foreign ministry’s comments. SHC’s division bench, comprising Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Faisal Arab, adjourned hearing till March 13.
Talking to newsmen after the hearing of the case, petitioner Intekhab Alam Suri appealed to the government to make sincere efforts for the release of Dr Aafiya. He said that the government denied the kidnapping of Dr Aafiya and her three children from Karachi, while then Interior Minister, Faisal Saleh Hayat, had assured Dr Aafiya’s family that the missing would return soon.
He rejected the US authorities’ claim that she was being provided medical treatment, saying that the US authorities have detained her at a psychiatric hospital. He also demanded that the prime minister fulfils his assurances to Dr Aafiya’s sister regarding her release.