ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday ordered the Pakistani government to get in touch with United States (US) authorities to seek details of recent reports regarding Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s death.
The order was passed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) while presiding over a three-member bench during the first hearing of a petition filed by Aafia’s sister, Fauzia Siddiqui, seeking repatriation of the neuroscientist.
The apex court judge was informed that the Pakistani General Counsel in the US had held a meeting with the doctor on May 28.
However, Justice Nisar said that the reports of Dr Aafia’s death were uncertain and that he has requested actual facts from the attorney general and the US Embassy regarding the matter, including a certificate from the US officials confirming that Aafia is alive.
Earlier, the CJP had rejected objections raised over the petition by the SC Registrar Office while hearing the appeal in his chambers. The appeal was filed by Fauzia last month.
A scientist trained in the United States, Siddiqui became a terrorism suspect after she left the US and married a nephew of self-proclaimed 9/11 attacks mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
She was reportedly wounded during a confrontation with US authorities in Afghanistan in 2008. Witnesses say she shot at the Americans.
She is serving 86 years behind bars.
