The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday directed the government to take every possible step for the repatriation of Dr Aafia, detained in the US. "There left no need to proceed further with instant petition as the government is pursuing the case vigorously and it shall continue to do so in the same spirit till repatriation of Dr Aafia", said the order given by Justice Raja Saeed Akram.
The petition was filed by Iftikhar Hussain Rajput through Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafferi praying the court to issue direction for the government to take instantaneous frantic steps towards repatriation of Dr Aafia who at present is facing a trial in USA for allegedly causing murderous assault upon a US personnel in Ghazni, Afghanistan and for transfer of case to the International Court of Justice.
"In this respect respondents/government is directed to remain in constant contact with the US government and shall take every possibly step for the purpose, the petition stand disposed of", said the judgement. The government had informed the court that it was taken several steps in this regard, in order to facilitate and assist her competent lawyer had been engaged with the consent of her family at its own expense.
It further said that the government has been taking up the case persistently in its interactions with the US leadership including FBI Director Robert Mueller, US State Department and Deputy Secretary John Negroponte. In his petition Barrister Jafferi had said that the government had failed in repatriation of Dr Aafia from US by using diplomatic channels.
Earlier, on March 9 the court had directed the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to speed up its efforts for the repatriation of Dr Aafia and if failed the matter be taken to the International Court of Justice. The IHC on Wednesday disposed of the petition saying the efforts made for repatriation by the government has not been denied by the petitioner; therefore, there is no need to proceed further.