During those visits, he discussed Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s various concerns about her condition of detention with the prison authorities, who took appropriate action to allay most of these concerns.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar apprised the House in black and white that the Embassy and the Consulate General were also able to arrange telephone calls between Dr Siddiqui and her family in Karachi. Dr. Siddiqui’s brother Muhammad Ali Siddiqui was able to meet with her on 05 November 2011.

“During the Consul General’s visits to FMC Carswell, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui mentioned to him that she was suffering from poor health.

The Consul General conveyed those concerns to the prison authorities who responded that they tried to provide medical attention to Dr Afia Siddiqui but she refused to cooperate” stated, adding that newly appointed ambassador Sherry Rehman received Dr Afia Siddiqui’s lawyer Ms Tina Foster on 26 January 2012 and assured her full cooperation and also addressed a letter to the FMC Carswell prison authorities asking for an independent medical examination of Dr. Afia Siddiqui to allay her concerns about her health.

She said that the repatriation of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui could only take place if Pakistan could become a party to either the Convention on the Council of Europe Convention on Transfer of Sentenced Persons (CEO Convention) or the Inter-American Convention on Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad (OAS Convention).

Khar said while responding to queries in “Question Hour” that total of 14 persons of this Ministry (Diplomatic Wing) were working in Pakistan High Commission, Dhaka, Bangladesh and the Ministry has no proposal under consideration concerning reduction of such employees as the Mission already has bare minimum staff. There is no proposal under consideration to apply any specific cuts other than envisaged by the Ministry of Finance.

She told the House that the instructions of the Ministry of Finance in regard to financial discipline are being followed in letter and spirit and the mission applied cuts as per instructions received from the Ministry of Finance.

She informed that House that total of 13 persons of this Ministry (Diplomatic Wing) were working in Pakistan Embassy in Brussels, Belgium while there were 86 countries where 118 Pakistan Missions were working at present.

She further said that the officers were entitled to home leave passage in accordance with Pakistan Foreign Service (PFS) Rules. According to these rules, an officer is entitled to receive actual fare, from the place of posting to his/her home town declared in the service record after 24 months of continuous service abroad on duty,

Similarly, she said that provided it was known that he was not likely to be transferred or to come back to Pakistan in next 12 months. In case of Hardship Station, this mandatory period of 24 months was curtailed to 18 months of consecutive service provided he was not likely to be transferred or to come back in Pakistan to Pakistan in next 12 months.

“An officer becomes eligible to avail home leave passage during two consecutive postings for six years. It is pertinent to mention that except for the first posting, officers are usually posted abroad for six continuous years, spending three years each at two different Missions” she stated adding that tt may be mentioned that this facility was extended subject to availability of funds under the relevant head as per the (Pakistan Foreign Service) PFS rules, officials in BPS-1 to 16 posted in Pakistan Missions abroad are not entitled to home leave passage”

She added that the officials unlike the officers get posted back to the headquarters after every posting abroad. The officers, except for their first posting, are posted abroad for six continuous years, without being recalled to the Headquarters.

The officials are, however, also entitled to avail the facility of emergency passage (two emergency passages can be availed in the entire service).

‘Security Guard-cum-Naib Qasids posted in Pakistan Missions abroad are also not entitled for the facility of home leave passage. The reason for non-availability of this facility to Security Guard-cum-Naib Qasids is the same as mentioned in Answer” she observed adding that the officials were, however, also entitled to avail the facility of emergency passage (two emergency passages can be availed in the entire service)”.

She maintained that As per policy on education subsidy circulated vide Ministry’s Circular No. Rules-4/4/2001 dated 13th October, 2001 two children between the ages of 5 to 18 years of Pak-based officers/officials posted at missions abroad were entitled to education subsidy @ 90% of the actual cost of the fee structure duly approved by the Ministry and the amount is paid directly to the school by the Mission and the above policy is also applicable to the children of officials posted in Pakistan Missions abroad.

SOURCE : Onlinenews.com.pk