ISLAMABAD: A petition demanding repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui was rejected by the Supreme Court on Monday, a local media outlet reported.
Dr Aafia’s sister Dr Fawzia Siddiqui had filed the petition, saying that she was still alive in the US.
“No case has been made out under Article 4 of the Constitution,” said the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar.
The Supreme Court had previously requested the government to ascertain Dr Aafia’s location by asking the US authorities after widespread speculation revolving around her health.
Representing Dr Fawzia, Advocate Dawood Ghazanfer argued that Pakistani citizens in other countries have fundamental rights as well.
However, Nisar observed that Aafia’s incarceration in the US meant that the case could be pursued only in the US as Pakistani courts had no jurisdiction abroad.
Dr Fawzia pleaded before the court to ask the federal government to obtain information about her health and repatriate her to the country.
The CJP responded by the observing that the apex court cannot make directives to a sovereign state.
