ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) was apprised Monday that the US visa has been issued to Dr Fowzia Siddiqui to meet her sister Aafia Siddiqui in US prison.

A single bench Justice Sardar Aijaz Ishaque Khan heard the constitutional petition of Dr Fowzia Siddiqui who moved the court through her lawyer Imran Shafiq advocate.

During the hearing, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Munawwar Iqbal Duggal said that the US visa has been issued to Dr Fowzia and she accompanied by the US counsel Clive Stafford Smith will meet Aafia Siddiqui in US jail during May 29 to 31.

Noted Human Rights Attorney and lawyer in Dr Aafia Siddiqui case, Clive Stafford Smith also appeared before the IHC bench and submitted the ways and means about how the government of Pakistan could ensure her early repatriation.

Smith presented a detailed account of the physical and mental torture meted out to Dr Aafia Siddiqui. He said that he had represented many prisoners of the Guantanamo Bay prison but none of them had braved more cruelty than Dr Aafia Siddiqui. He said unfortunately, the record of the physical and mental torture meted out to Dr Aafia Siddiqui was not presented before the American court that had heard the case of Aafia.

He presented a confidential note to the court, in which he mentioned in detail what steps the government of Pakistan could take to secure an early repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui. He said that all these efforts would need continuous backing of the government.

Imran Shafique advocate representing the petitioner regretted that two decades have passed since Dr Aafia’s detention but no sincere legal effort so far has been taken for her repatriation from America. The court appreciated the efforts of Clive Stafford Smith and directed the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take the required steps in Aafia’s case.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials told the court that they have to take approvals at every level and it takes a considerable time. The court directed them that if they face undue hurdles they could file an application with the court and it would try to resolve the issues as per the law and constitution.

The counsel said that a separate doctor will be needed for psychological examination of Aafia Siddiqui. The court ordered the Foreign Ministry to extend help in providing services of a doctor for psychological examination of Aafia Siddiqui.

The bench directed the government to share documents concerned with Aafia Siddiqui and other relevant information with the lawyer. However, it added that the counsel Clive Smith will assure that the information will not be used in any other matter except the Aafia Siddiqui case. Later, the bench deferred the hearing of the case till June.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023