Govt declined to become party in Dr Aafia Siddiqui case in US court, IHC told

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) was informed on Monday that the federal government declined to become a party or provide legal assistance in Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s case in a US court.

Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan heard a petition related to Dr Aafia’s health and repatriation from a US prison which was attended by the petitioner’s lawyer Imran Shafiq, additional attorney general, and other officials.

The Pakistani neuroscientist has been languishing in the US prison for over 14 years.

At the outset of the hearing, the additional attorney general apprised the IHC that the government decided not to become a party in the Dr Aafia case in the United States.

The judge questioned reason behind the decision. To this, the law officer, however, failed to give a response, saying that the government has so far taken this decision.

“This is a constitutional court. Decisions must be accompanied by reasons. A government or the attorney general cannot simply submit a stance without justification,” Justice Ejaz remarked.

The IHC ordered the additional attorney general to provide rationale for the decision in the next hearing. Later, the hearing was adjourned till July 4.

Dr Siddiqui is currently serving an 86-year sentence at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, on charges of attempted murder and assault of US personnel in Afghanistan jail.

In January, she sought a presidential pardon, terming her jail term as “a blatant miscarriage of justice”, hours before the power transition in the United States (US).

However, then US president Joe Biden rejected Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s clemency plea.