SOURCE : Demotix.com

Protesters chanted anti-US slogans and strongly criticized the US justice system for its handling of the case.

Relatives of Siddiqui have slammed the US justice system for its ruling against the female Pakistani scientist. Her parents say US judicial officials have frequently rejected their request for a new lawyer to represent their daughter.

There have been numerous rallies in the country over Siddiqui’s case and her release has become a major national issue in Pakistan with protesters saying that the scientist’s trial in the US was a complete mockery of the legal process.

A US court found Aafia guilty of attempting to murder American citizens while she was detained for questioning in Afghanistan. She was convicted in a New York court on February 3, 2010.

She has been accused of opening fire on FBI agents and US military personnel in a police station in Ghazni, Afghanistan, where she was being interrogated in 2008.

The 38-year-old Siddiqui vanished in Karachi, Pakistan with her three children on March 30, 2003. The following day, local newspapers reported that she had been abducted by US forces and charged with terrorism and having links to al-Qaeda.

Human rights organizations have also expressed doubts about the accuracy of the US account of the event. Human rights groups say Siddiqui had secretly been transferred to the US base in Bagram, north of Kabul, and tortured for five years prior to the alleged incident in 2008.

The harsh treatment of the US-educated scientist and her five-year secret detention and shooting has provoked an outrage in the Muslim world, especially her native country of Pakistan.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Karachi in support of Afia Siddiqui, the Pakistani scientist serving an 86-year jail term in the US, Press TV reports.

SOURCE : Presstv.com

While some of the cables show concern on the trends observed by US diplomats, others simply relay what was being reported in the Pakistani media without comment, as if to suggest that the events speak for themselves. In others, US diplomats seek to respond to allegations against the US in the Pakistani media.

Lal Masjid

The 2007 Lal Masjid crisis and military operation is detailed in several cables, which follow the issue since the demolition of mosques in February 2007, which stoked the issue. The embassy assessed that “the PML (Pakistan Muslim Buy vigora online League-Quaid) finds itself outmanoeuvred on this issue and is unwilling to risk the political fallout of marching on with the demolition plan.”

Cables about the military operation quoted official and media reports without comment. Reports of a bomb blast in the nearby Aabpara market later that month stated that “The Aapbara market area has been off-limits to official Americans for years.”

Aafia Siddiqui

The US embassy reported on the coverage of the Aafia Siddiqui case and protests in the country. A cable states: “To counter a growing avalanche of negative press stories alleging that the US has been illegally detaining and torturing …Dr Aafia Siddiqi, post will place several letters to the editor from Ambassador in local print media.” The letter’s text comprises the US stance on her case.

The transfer of Siddiqui’s son from Afghanistan to Pakistan is in two Kabul embassy cables. One asks for Washington’s guidance on how to handle the transfer and wanted the Afghan government to notify the embassy before it transferred him.

It Buy Zoloft Online Pharmacy No Prescription Needed states: “The (Afghan) Ministry of Foreign Affairs is willing to help us, but it does not have custody of the boy and must rely on cooperation of other (government of Afghanistan) agencies.”  A cable sent four days later stated that the US had no objection to Ahmad’s release to relatives in Pakistan.

Ahmad was transferred from a juvenile detention centre to the Afghan National Directorate of Security to prepare for his release.

Pan Am Flight 73 hijackers release

In January 2008, the US sent a demarche to the Foreign Ministry – not described in the cables – over the release of four Palestinian men who were jailed in 1988 for their involvement in the 1986 Pan Am Flight 73 hijacking.

The men were released to the Palestinian mission in Islamabad after the Pakistan Federal Review Board reviewed their cases. In response to the demarche, a Foreign Ministry official told the US that they did not know where the released men were but would forward their request to the relevant ministry. The men were mentioned in a 1989 report on terrorism – that they were still imprisoned and their appeals were pending in courts.

US concerned over port security

In January 2009, the US State Department expressed its concern over the level of port security in Pakistan, because it did not “adequately reflect the current threat situation given recent terrorist events in Pakistan and within the region.”

The cable was sent two months after the attacks in Mumbai in 2008 and mentions an “increased risk”. However, the US understood that additional port security would burden “Pakistan’s fragile democracy”.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th,  2011.

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SOURCE : Freeaafia.org Buy elavil online

According to a senior US administration official and a Pakistani official involved in the negotiations to free Davis, the Pakistan Government proposed trading the American for Aafia, but the US government immediately dismissed the offer.

“The Pakistanis have raised it. We are not going to pursue it,” ABC News quoted the US official, as saying.

The proposal is the latest in a series of efforts to break an impasse between Washington and Islamabad over Davis, who has been detained by Pakistan authorities since late January for shooting dead two men, allegedly in self-defence.

On the other hand, Aafia was convicted of trying to shoot FBI agents and military officers in an Afghanistan police station in 2008.

In 2004, FBI director Robert Mueller described Aafia as an “al Qaeda operative and facilitator.” The FBI had issued a global alert for Aafia and her first husband in 2003, for their suspected ties to al Qaeda. Aafia later remarried to an al Qaeda operative, who was the nephew of the 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Muhammed and is currently being detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

According to the Buy levitra online Pakistani official, the Pakistan Government’s proposal called for Aafia to be transferred to Pakistan, where she would serve the remainder of her sentence in a jail or under house arrest.

According to the senior administration official and a Pakistani official, the US government quickly made it clear to Pakistan that they would not entertain the possibility of trading Aafia for Davis.

But there is still hope for a resolution despite the apparent impasse. Pakistani officials in both Lahore and Islamabad said that Davis’ release was just a “matter of time,” and that the Pakistan Government was waiting for the public furore over the case to wane before releasing him.

A Pakistani official said that one likely outcome would be that the US government would pay reparations to the victims’ families, who can pardon Davis under Pakistan law if asked. (ANI)

SOURCE : Sify.com

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday the Chairman said Dr Aafia’s trial in US was the violation of International law. Government is not taking seriously the repatriation of Dr Aafia, he added.

Senator Talha said that the DNA report and fingerprints have confirmed that the 12 years old girl was Dr Aafia’s daughter Maryum. She was recovered from a US national John from Bagram Airbase Afghanistan, he added.

He urged the government to link provision of Buy levaquin online logistic support to the US with the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui. Senator Talha said Pakistan has sacrificed a lot in war against terror Buy VPXL Online Pharmacy No Prescription Needed and provided logistic support to the US but in return it is holding trial of Pakistani citizens.

He warned if the US jury sentenced Dr Aafia on May 06, it would fumigate anti American sentiments among the masses. Interior Minister Rehman Malik was hiding the facts from the nation.

He further stated that the release of Dr Aafia’s daughter was not the outcome of any deal. He said media has played a pivotal role for highlighting Dr Aafia’s case at international level.

SOURCE : Onlinenews.com.pk

Dr. Aafia had three children. One son is stil missing. The middle daughter Mariam was found from the Bagram Air Force base. The firl is 11 years old and could only speak English.

Mr. Karzai had told the family that if no questions were asked, he would return the child to the family. The young daughter Mariam was left at the gate of the Siddiqui family’s home. Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui adopted her even before the DNA results were in.

The daughter is in a frail and precarious condition, and doesn’t recognize anyone. The American born child was kept in incarceration for seven years in what she described as a “cold and dark room” at the American Airbase in Bagram–Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD: Senate Committee for Interior Chairman Senator
Talha Mehmood told media today that the daughter of Dr Afia Siddique was recovered from Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan.

She was with an American there named ‘John’. He was briefing media beside Dr Afia’s daughter.

He threatened to block Nato logistics if Dr Afia was not brought back to Pakistan.

Some days back some unidentified people left an 11-year-old girl outside Dr Fauzia’s house.

The girl told the Siddiqui family that her name was Fatima and could speak English and Persian only while Dr Fauzia to confirm her as Aafia’a daughter Mariam got her DNA test done which came as positive today.

Earlier today, the government formally declared 12 years old Maryam as daughter of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui after proved by DNA Test and the girl handed over to the family of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui.

Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui, sister of Dr Aafia Siddiqui visited the Interior Ministry with 12 years old Maryam on Saturday and held a meeting with Interior Minister Rehman Malik Saturday.

Talking to media after holding the meeting, the Interior Minister said that Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani wanted to make the announcement himself but he asked him to announce this.

Rehman Malik said that the DNA Report has proved that 12 years old Maryam is daughter of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, adding the girl only speak English.

According to reports, the girls’ DNA matched that of Ahmed, Dr Aafia’s son. The report has been handed over to the investigation police. Dr Afia’s daughter recovered from Bagram Airbase: Senator Talha, Updated at: 1642 PST, Saturday, April 10, 2010,

SOURCE : Pakistanpatriot.com

Addressing a press conference, Khan also urged the PML-N to play the role of a responsible opposition party and raise the Aafia issue in the National Assembly.

The Dawn quoted Khan as saying that the PPP Government should take concrete steps for Dr Aafia’s release, and the entire nation should stand united on the issue.

Khan also described the present Pakistani regime as hopeless, as “it would not impart education and employment to the youth.”

He also pointed out that expenses of foreign tours of the Prime Minister and the President were being paid by poor people of Pakistan.

Rulers, however, moved their assets abroad to evade the tax net, he added. (ANI)

SOURCE : News.oneindia.in

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui was recently found guilty by a US jury of charges that she has vehemently denied to have committed. The main charge against her was using a US warrant officer’s M-4 rifle while being interrogated in 2008 for an alleged possession of ‘documents detailing a ‘terrorist’ plan.’

“Pakistan would provide her legal assistance as the case passes through subsequent stages in the judicial system, the US government may look at the possibility of her repatriation to Pakistan under the Prisoner Exchange Agreement,” said Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari to the visiting US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke in Islamabad, a Press TV correspondent reported late Thursday.

Siddiqui vanished in Karachi, Pakistan with her three children on March 30, 2003. US officials allege that she was seized on July 17, 2008 by Afghan security forces in the Ghazni Province while in possession of documents, including formulas for explosives and chemical weapons.

Human rights groups allege that Siddiqui had been secretly held and tortured at the infamous US base in Bagram, north of Kabul, for five years prior to the alleged 2008 shooting.

In the final stages of her trial in the Manhattan Federal Court, Siddiqui’s lawyer Linda Moreno also argued that “there is no physical evidence that an M-4 rifle was touched by Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, let alone fired.”

Siddiqui’s case has been very controversial since most of the evidence against her are circumstantial and based on US intelligence and military agents in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The harsh treatment of the US-educated scientist and her five-year secret detention and shooting has provoked an outrage in the Muslim world, especially her native country of Pakistan.

SOURCE : Presstv.ir