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Aafia visited Islamabad in Jan 2008: uncle
WASHINGTON: The New York Times has reported that S H Farooqi, the uncle of MIT graduated Pakistani scientist Dr Aafia Siddiqi, has given a signed affidavit to the authorities swearing that Dr Aafia visited him in January 2008 in Islamabad and had asked for help to reach the Taliban in Afghanistan. A 12-member jury in New York convicted Dr Aafia in February this year for trying to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan in 2008.
It is for the first time that the information about such an affidavit has been made public. Dr Aafia dropped out of sight from 2003 to 2008 and her whereabouts and those of her three children, during this time, have been a mystery.
Her sister, Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui, has accused the Pakistani intelligence agencies of handing her over to the American officials. She says Ms. Siddiqui was transferred to the United States air base at Bagram, in Afghanistan, and tortured there. Her accusation is widely accepted in Pakistan, and strenuously denied by the American officials.
‘Long March’ for Aafia’s release from 10th
ISLAMABAD – Exhibiting grave concerns over the alleged sluggishness of the PPP-led regime to get Dr Aafia Siddique released from illegal imprisonment of USA, civil society activists on Wednesday announced to launch “Long March” from 10th of March.
A series of events are in pipeline as a part of a “Long March” that would be launched from Faisalabad Bar Association. The announcement was made in a peaceful demonstration at Abpara Chowk organised by the Pakistan Professionals Forum and student community of the twin cities to condemn and convey shock and abhorrence against the unjust verdict in Dr Aafia Siddique’s case and to show solidarity with her and her family.
Aafia’s return may not be demanded: Kaira
ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that Constitutional Reforms Committee (CRC) will hopefully complete its task till upcoming March 23.
Talking to the media persons after the conclusion session of a workshop titled “Strategic Communications, Public and Culture Diplomacy” organised at Information Service Academy, Kaira said that after the mutual consensus of other political parties and formal sanction of the Parliament, the draft of Charter of Democracy would become part of the Constitution.
Responding to a question, Kaira said the Government was providing legal aid to Dr Aafia, adding it was not necessary that Government of Pakistan would demand of the US government to handover Dr Aafia.
Freeing Dr. Aafia, a Matter of Honour
(BAGRAM, Afghanistan) – Veterans Today Editors, Jeff Gates, Raja Mujtaba and I were in the AF-Pak region over the last couple of weeks. Jeff and I are Vietnam veterans, Raja a decorated combat veteran, tank commander, from the India/Pakistan war.
We met dozens of Pakistani military, including nearly all of their highest ranking retired officers, from Admiral Sirohey, Chairman of their Joint Chiefs of Staff to General Alsam Beg, Head of the Army to Lt. General Hamid Gul, former head of the ISI.
In our party were our other Veterans Today contributors, BG Asif Haroon Raja and BG Raza Ali, of “Charlie Wilson’s War” fame.
Dr Aafia did or didn’t?
By Fasi Zaka
I admit that there has been one topic I have been reluctant to write about for a year now, despite occasional prodding from the readers. When I first heard about Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s case, I immediately held an uninformed opinion; I thought she was guilty. It didn’t matter to me that she was a woman, and I felt if she had been Al Qaeda then she deserved punishment.
This gut reaction probably came from the circumstantial evidence surrounding the case, of which there is a considerable amount. So, instead of writing something that was obviously tainted with bias, I chose not to write anything. Only recently, when I was asked to an interview with an American radio station did I realise that I needed to know more than what I superficially did. While researching the case, I came across a website dedicated to Dr Aafia, and it bemoaned the lack of interest from the liberal media, of which I concede I could fall into, and in many ways that criticism is valid.
NA body asks govt to move ICJ for Aafia’s release
ISLAMABAD (Online) – The Standing Committee of the National Assembly has directed the Ministry of Law, Foreign Affairs and human rights organisations to finalise a strategy collectively to move to International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui.
The NA Standing Committee met here Wednesday with Riaz Fatayana in the chair. Dr Fauzai Sadiqui, sister of Dr Aafia Saddiqui, attended the meeting on the special invitation. The committee reviewed the measures taken by the government regarding release of Dr Aafia.
Dr Fauzia termed the performance of Pakistan’s ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani as unsatisfactorily. Riaz Fatayana said law regarding trial of any accused inside the local court before handing over to foreign country exists. Trial against Dr Aafia should have been held in Pakistan or Afghanistan, the committee said. Member NA Standing Committee Javed Hashmi on the occasion said Hussain Haqqani failed to satisfy him during his visit to the Untied States on the issue of Dr Aafia.
People urged to struggle for release of Dr Aafia
Islamabad : Pakistan Professionals Forum (PPF) and the civil society based in the federal capital staged a protest rally here Wednesday at Aabpara Chowk to condemn and reject, in unequivocal terms, the illegal detention and conviction of Dr Aafia Siddiqui by the NY court.
The protestors including doctors, engineers, lawyers, academicians, students, and other professionals, while carrying placards and banners, chanted slogans and demanded international human rights organisations to play their due role in the release of Aafia Siddiqui.
The rally was addressed by Dr Fauzia Siddiqui, the sister of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, President PPF Asif Luqman Qazi, Chairperson Defence of Human Rights Amina Janjua, and other civil society activists and student leaders.
Dr Aafia’s birthday celebrated in Karachi
By Saleem Chandio and Bachal Chandio
KARACHI: On the directives of the president of the Pasban, Altaf Shakoor, the birthday ceremony of Dr Aafia Siddiqui was celebrated here on Tuesday.
The main event in this regard was held at the Karachi Press Club in which a large number of the people belonging to different walks of life participated and paid rich tributes to the brave Pakistani lady, who is presently languishing in a US prison. Cake was cut while a number of pigeons and balloons were also released. President Pasban Altaf Shakoor, Dr Fauzia Siddiqui, and civil society representatives were also present on the occasion.
Rally for release of Dr Aafia today
Islamabad : The Pakistan Professional Forum (PPF) will stage a rally at Aabpara Chowk here today (Wednesday) to press the government for securing release of detained Pakistani neuroscientist Dr. Aafia Siddiqui from the US.
Dr. Aafia’s sister, Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui, will address the rally to be attended people from different walks of life, especially civil society activists and students.
An American court convicted Dr. Aafia over charges that she tried to kill Americans during her detention in Afghanistan in 2008. A family lawyer immediately announced an appeal, citing ‘prejudice and bias’.
