The Pakistani embassy in Washington has asked the US State Department to facilitate a meeting between detained Pakistani neuroscientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui and members of her family including mother and sister, it was officially learned on Monday.
Following Aafia Siddiqui's desire to see her family members, the embassy conveyed the request to the US authorities on the instructions of Pakistan's ambassador Husain Haqqani that her mother Ismat Siddiqui and sister Dr Fauzia Siddiqui may be allowed to meet her.
Aafia, 36, is currently undergoing psychiatric evaluation at a medical facility in Fort Worth, Texas, which is inside a military compound. The tests were ordered by a US judge after he entered a plea of innocent last month on behalf of Ms Siddiqui's prosecutors say may be unfit to face charges of trying to kill US interrogators in Afghanistan.
One of Aafia's sons was brought to Pakistan from Afghanistan last month. On Sunday, Aafia's brother Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, a resident of Houston, was allowed to meet her sister. The Pakistani embassy has been seeking her repatriation to Pakistan and has been urging the US authorities on protection of Ms Aafia's rights as well as provision of medical treatment as desired by her.