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Cabinet to okay Dr Aafia repatriation accord Wednesday: officials
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior Tuesday said that Federal Cabinet would approve an agreement for the repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist who was sentenced to 86 years in prison by a New York Court for trying to kill American soldiers and F.B.I. agents in Afghanistan, Geo News reported.
The ministry officials revealed it during a meeting of Senate’s Standing Committee held with Senator Talha Mehmood in chair.
“Siddiqui was indicted for the charges of attempted murder and assault and not terrorism”, the ministry officials said briefing the committee.
The officials added that the summaries of Council of Europe and Inter American Convention with regard to Dr Siddiqui’s extradition had been sent to Federal Cabinet for approval.
“The Cabinet will most probably endorse one of the agreements tomorrow (Wednesday), which will be implemented within three months of its ratification”, they added further.
Dr Siddiqui was indicted in New York federal district court in September 2008 on charges of attempted murder and assault stemming from an incident in an interview with U.S. authorities in Ghazni, charges which Siddiqui denied.
After 18 months in detention, she was tried and convicted in early 2010 and sentenced to 86 years in prison.
Throughout the trial, the Pakistani government supported Siddiqui, and her conviction resulted in some protests in Pakistan.
Various media reports have also highlighted differences in how the case was portrayed in the U.S. and in Pakistan.
Dr Siddiqui is presently held as a political prisoner in federal prison in Carswell Texas in virtual seclusion while her health deteriorates.
She is revered in Pakistan as the “Daughter of the Nation” for her courage and tenacity in surviving 5 years of “disappearance” during which she was tortured and abused and her children abducted.
Courtesy www.geo.tv