What Happened: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar announced that efforts to secure a pardon for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui from the U.S. have not yet succeeded, despite a letter from Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the formation of a committee to lobby for her release and repatriation.
What you need to know: During an international conference on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar acknowledged that the government’s efforts to convince the U.S. government to grant a pardon to Dr. Aafia Siddiqui have not yet been successful. He mentioned that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had previously sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, requesting clemency for Dr. Siddiqui on humanitarian grounds.
What more: In light of the ongoing situation, Dar announced the formation of a three-member committee tasked with meeting U.S. lawmakers to advocate for Dr. Siddiqui’s pardon, release, and repatriation to Pakistan. This development came to light during a hearing at the Islamabad High Court, where Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan was reviewing a petition filed by Fauzia Siddiqui, Dr. Aafia’s sister, seeking her release from an American prison.
Also: During this hearing, Additional Attorney General Manzoor Iqbal represented the government. Earlier this year, Dr. Aafia’s lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, disclosed that she has been suffering sexual assault at the jail in Fort Worth, Texas, where she is incarcerated. The case has garnered significant attention in Pakistan, with many advocating for her release and return to her home country.