Dr Aafia's conviction: government trying to table joint resolution in National Assembly, says Malik

The Government is making all-out efforts to table a joint resolution in the Parliament against the US court's verdict in case of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, said Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik here on Friday. "A joint resolution would be tabled in the Parliament on the issue of Dr Aafia Siddiqui in a bid to bring her back to Pakistan," Malik said while talking to reporters outside the Parliament House.
Interior Minister said that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have discussed the issue with all the US delegations, which had visited Pakistan from time to time. He dispelled the impression of any lapse on part of the government, saying that the government had paid about $2 million to lawyers who pleaded Dr Aafia's case in the US.
He also dispelled the impression that Government of Pakistan had written a letter to the US government requesting it to proceed cases against Dr Aafia. "There is no reality in the news, but some people trying to use it for political mileage," he added.
Dr Aafia is a daughter of the nation and the government will not leave her alone at this hour of need and make all-out efforts and options to bring her back to Pakistan, Malik added. Responding to a question, Malik said the government is also looking the option to write a letter to the US Government for her deportation under UN Convention for exchange of prisoners on humanitarian grounds.
He said she was arrested during the era of former military dictator Musharraf and due to efforts of the PPP government her two children had been recovered. "It was PPP government, which registered a case against Dr Aafia's kidnapping," Malik said. To another question the Minister said that he had talked to Pakistan's Ambassador to US on the issue and asked him to utilise all possible options for her repatriation from the US.