- CJP asks Aafia’s sister to take matter up with a US court
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected Aafia Siddiqui’s sister Fauzia’s petition seeking repatriation of Aafia from the United States (US) and directed the petitioner to take the matter up with a court at the US.
The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar resumed the hearing of Fauzia Siddiqui’s petition. Previously, the SC had admitted the petition and heard arguments.
Fauzia Siddiqui had also submitted a report presented by the consul general of Pakistan in Texas.
Justice Nisar questioned how the top court of Pakistan can direct US authorities, and then directed the applicant to approach a US court to address the grievances. “We took up the matter only to know whether she is alive or not. It was learnt that she is alive and now we cannot do anything in this matter,” Justice Nisar added.
Last week, a confidential report prepared by Pakistan’s consul general of her visit to Dr Aafia Siddiqui claimed that she was subjected to physical and sexual abuse during her ongoing detention.
Consul General Aisha Farooqui visited Aafia at the Federal Medical Center in Carswell, Texas. The report recommended diplomatic authorities to take up the case at the highest levels to find a way for her repatriation so that she can serve her remaining sentence in Pakistan, where her modesty and privacy would not be interfered with.
Aafia’s sister Fauzia Siddiqui submitted the report of the consul general’s May 23 meeting with her. The report presented details of the miserable state of Aafia, who is being detained, and details of her struggles to protect her dignity, integrity and respect paint a different picture altogether.
It also recommended that a detailed note is sent to the US Department of Justice for an inquiry into the allegations of physical and sexual abuse Aafia spoke of.
Consul General Farooqui also suggested a formal request to be made to the US Department of Justice to restrict male staff members into her unit and to ensure her safety.
