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Students protest against Dr Aafia verdict at Liberty Chowk
LAHORE: Around 200 students of different universities of the city on Friday staged a protest in favour of Dr Aafia Siddiqui and other missing persons at the Liberty roundabout.
The Students Action Committee (SAC) had organised the protest, which was attended by students and faculty members of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Punjab University (PU), Beaconhouse National University (BNU), Foundation for Advancement of Science and Technology (FAST), University of Management and Technology (UMT) and National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (NUCES).
Students chanted slogans in favour of Dr Aafia as well as against the US and demanded the government bring her back from the US and try her in local courts. They were holding posters of Aafia while many wore black armbands and distributed pamphlets among the participants.
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui: Tried before Trial, Luton 21/02/10 FREE
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, Most Gracious
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui : Tried before Trial
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui:
Born in Karachi, Pakistan
Citizen educated and employed in America
Kidnapped, held hostage and separated from her children in Pakistan
Imprisoned, tortured and abused for years in Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan
Renditioned and tried in America.
Protest in Islamabad for Dr. Aafia & Missing persons
Protest in Islamabad for Dr. Aafia & Missing Persons
A peaceful protest held @ Jinnah Avenue, Blue Area, Islamabad, Pakistan demanding return of Dr. Aafia to Pakistan and for the safe return of all the missing people who are in american custody or custody of other agencies. For returning them and running a free and fair trial against them if nessessry.
Pak govt. to take all action to defend Aafia: Minister
Islamabad : The Pakistan government would take all necessary step needed to defend Dr. Aafia Siddiqui during the final hearing, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Malik Ammad said.
Siddiqui, a trained neuroscientists, has been indicted by a Manhattan court on terrorism charges.
Addressing the National Assembly (NA), Ammad said all evidence against Aafia is insubstantial, and the government is pledged to work for her safe release from American jail.
“It was due to the government’s efforts that a delegation of Pakistani politicians succeeded in meeting Aafia. It is because of our government that she was able to contact her family. This way, her son was recovered, and three well reputed legal experts hired on her request,” he said.
Peaceful march held for Aafia’s early release
ISLAMABAD – A peaceful walk held on Thursday organised by Pakistan Professional Forum to protest the conviction of Dr Aafia Siddiqui by the US court.
The peaceful walk in which representatives of civil society, a large number of students, families of missing persons and activists of Human Rights of Pakistan participated began from Kalsum Plaza Jinnah Avenue Blue Area and culminated at China Chowk.
The participants were holding placards in their hands inscribed with slogans like ‘Free Aafia’ ‘No to US friendship’ Govt recover 10,000 missing persons. They also chanted slogans. Chairperson of Defence of Human Rights Pakistan, Amina Masood Janjua, said, “We are civilised nation, as our peaceful walk witnessed this action but,” no one, she said, “should consider it our weakness.”
DR AAFIA ACCUSES ISI OF ABDUCTING HER
After the guilty verdict in the high profile trial of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui in New York, defense attorney Elaine Sharp- the only member of the defense team that Dr. Siddiqui has any relations with said: “Dr. Siddiqui told us that she was picked-up by Pakistani men in two black cars. These were people of Pakistani intelligence. You know- she said ISI.”
Following guilty verdict several popular TV Talk Show hosts in Pakistan also questioned ISI’s role in her alleged abduction in 2003. Common sentiments were that the ‘daughter of the nation’ was arrested and handed over to the Americans.
Mention of ISI evokes several conflicting emotions – and fear for Pakistanis. Just as mentioning CIA occasionally evokes images of global conspiracy and the KGB calls gulags to mind, the ISI has come to represent political deceit in Pakistan. And, during General Pervez Musharraf’s rule as more and more Pakistanis started to disappear in thin air, ISI became more enigmatic.
Govt targeted for mishandling Aafia case
ISLAMABAD – Terming the repatriation of Dr Aafia a common cause, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Malik Amad Thursday assured the National Assembly that the government would fully defend her till the final hearing.
Winding up the discussion on Dr. Aafia’s conviction, he said that the evidence against her was very weak as both the witnesses gave contradicting statements. However, the lawyers had advised her not to give statement.
He welcomed the suggestion of Faisal Saleh Hayat for constituting a parliamentary delegation to US to pursue Obama and Hillary for the release of Dr Aafia.
Earlier, taking part in the discussion, Faisal said that he was the only one who asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for Aafia’s release if US wanted to improve its image in Pakistan.
‘Govt will fully support Aafia in final hearing’
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: State Minister of Foreign Affairs Malik Ammad on Thursday assured the National Assembly (NA) that the government would fully defend Dr Aafia Siddiqui in the final hearing.
While talking about Aafia’s conviction in the National Assembly (NA), Ammad said the evidence against her was insubstantial, and the statements of the two witnesses contradictory. He stated the government was laying emphasis on her release and that the president, prime minister and foreign minister of Pakistan had been addressing this issue at every public forum.
Dr Aafia’s sister to stage sit-in protest at US Consulate on 16th
LAHORE: Dr Fauzia Siddiqui, sister of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, will lead a students’ rally and stage a sit-in protest in front of the US Consulate on February 16 (Tuesday), as part of her countrywide campaign for her sister’s release.
A Pakistani neuroscientist and mother of three children, Aafia was convicted by the Manhattan federal court for opening fire on US troops in Afghanistan. The jury found her guilty even after she denied the charges levelled against her.
The rally organised by the Insaaf Students Federation would start from the Punjab Assembly and end at the US Consulate situated near the Lahore Press Club. The demonstrators would also stage a sit-in protest in front of the US Consulate, where Fauzia would address the participants of the rally.
Govt handling of Aafia case criticised in NA
ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday reassured the National Assembly that it would put up a strong defence of Dr Aafia Siddiqui and make every possible effort to secure her release, as both treasury and the opposition benches criticised it for weak defence. They described the US court’s verdict against Dr Aafia as “miscarriage of justice”.
The National Assembly debated the issue on an adjournment motion, demanding action against those who handed her over to the United States and spending $2 million on a weak legal team that failed to defend her.
PML-Q parliamentary leader Makhdoom Faisal Salah Hayat proposed creation of a parliamentary caucus for interaction with the US Congress and the Obama administration for the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui. The government agreed but remained non-committal.
