Latest news with #Aafia
Business Recorder
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Dr Aafia case plea: IHC's order allowing petitioner to amend prayers challenged by govt
ISLAMABAD: The federal government challenged the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s order dated 16-05-25 allowing Dr Aafia Siddiqui's sister to amend prayers in her writ petition, filed in 2015. The Federation, on Tuesday, filed an application through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), submitting that Dr Fowzia Siddiqui, sister of Dr Aafia, filed the writ petition 3139/2015 expressing her concerns for Dr Aafia's life, safety, and physical and mental well-being. It was prayed that the direction to the respondents to provide regular updates, including weekly reports, and confirm through independent verification the current physical and mental well-being of DrAafia. Direct the respondents to provide full cooperation and assistance to the petitioner (DrFowzia) and her family, enabling them to visit and meet DrAafia in the jail in the United States. Direct the constitution of a competent, independent medical team to examine Dr Aafia's physical and mental health, in collaboration with the petitioner. Direct the prime minister of Pakistan to raise the issue of Dr Aafia with the president of the United States during the former's official visit to the United States. The MoFA contended that it filed a CM No811/2025 for disposing of main WP 3195/2015 on account of being fructified. However, the respondent (Dr Fowzia) filed CM 921/2025 to amend the prayer of WP-3139/2015 for further proceeding being not satisfied. The IHC judge, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, passed an order dated 16-05-2025 wherein accepted the amended CM and dismissed the petitioner's CM. Hence, instant CPLA. The Federation submitted that the single bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has erred in law by exercising suomoto powers. The single judge has not only travelled outside the pleadings, but also has gone beyond the jurisdictional domain of the Court by passing such directions. It is submitted that the IHC, in allowing the amendment, failed to adhere to the express bar contained in Article 199(1)(a) of the Constitution, which restricts the Court from making any order, direction, or declaration beyond the scope of the application filed under clause (1). Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
IHC asks Pakistan govt to submit reasons for not becoming party to Dr Aafia's case
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) asked the federal government to submit the reasons for not becoming a party or provide legal assistance in Dr Aafia Siddiqui's case in a US court. A single bench of Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan on Monday heard the constitutional petition of Dr Fowzia Siddiqui regarding the release of her sister Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who is currently imprisoned in a US jail. The petitioner's lawyer Imran Shafiq, additional attorney general, and other officials were present in the court. At the outset of the hearing, the additional attorney general apprised the IHC that the government had decided not to become a party in the Dr Aafia case in the United States. At this, the judge questioned the reason behind the decision saying that on what grounds was this decision made? To this, the additional attorney general, however, failed to give a response, saying the government has so far taken this decision. Justice Ishaq remarked that this is a constitutional court and decisions must be accompanied by reasons. He added that a government or the attorney general cannot simply submit a stance without justification. He made it clear that this is a constitutional court, and decisions without justification are not acceptable here. The IHC ordered the additional attorney general to provide rationale for the decision on the next hearing. Later, the bench deferred hearing of the case till July 4. The bench on May 16, 25 had observed that the Aafia case has already become a movement and it is a long struggle. Justice Ishaq added that the problem could not be resolved by just ending this case. The court further observed that the government has taken all the steps regarding Dr Aafia only because of this case. The judge said the US visa was granted to Dr Fowzia Siddiqui because of the directions of this court, and also the prime minister wrote a letter for Dr Aafia. He continued that due to the instructions of this court a meeting took place between Dr Aafia Siddiqui and Dr Fowzia Siddiqui and a Pakistani delegation also visited the US and met Dr Aafia Siddiqui. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
IHC asks govt to submit reasons for not becoming party to Dr Aafia's case
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) asked the federal government to submit the reasons for not becoming a party or provide legal assistance in Dr Aafia Siddiqui's case in a US court. A single bench of Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan on Monday heard the constitutional petition of Dr Fowzia Siddiqui regarding the release of her sister Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who is currently imprisoned in a US jail. The petitioner's lawyer Imran Shafiq, additional attorney general, and other officials were present in the court. At the outset of the hearing, the additional attorney general apprised the IHC that the government had decided not to become a party in the Dr Aafia case in the United States. At this, the judge questioned the reason behind the decision saying that on what grounds was this decision made? To this, the additional attorney general, however, failed to give a response, saying the government has so far taken this decision. Justice Ishaq remarked that this is a constitutional court and decisions must be accompanied by reasons. He added that a government or the attorney general cannot simply submit a stance without justification. He made it clear that this is a constitutional court, and decisions without justification are not acceptable here. The IHC ordered the additional attorney general to provide rationale for the decision on the next hearing. Later, the bench deferred hearing of the case till July 4. The bench on May 16, 25 had observed that the Aafia case has already become a movement and it is a long struggle. Justice Ishaq added that the problem could not be resolved by just ending this case. The court further observed that the government has taken all the steps regarding Dr Aafia only because of this case. The judge said the US visa was granted to Dr Fowzia Siddiqui because of the directions of this court, and also the prime minister wrote a letter for Dr Aafia. He continued that due to the instructions of this court a meeting took place between Dr Aafia Siddiqui and Dr Fowzia Siddiqui and a Pakistani delegation also visited the US and met Dr Aafia Siddiqui. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui: IHC allows Dr Fowzia to amend her petition
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) allowed Dr Fowzia Siddiqui for amendment in her petition seeking release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui. A single bench of Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan on Friday heard the constitutional petition of Dr Fowzia Siddiqui who moved the court through her lawyer Imran Shafiq Advocate and sought release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui currently confined in an American prison. Amicus Zainab Janjua also appeared before the court. During the hearing, the IHC bench accepted the application of the lawyer of Dr Fowzia Siddiqui, Advocate Imran Shafique, for allowing amendment in the petition and instructed him to file the amended petition within a week. The additional attorney general requested the court to dispose of the petition, saying that the government has already done in this case what it could do. The court; however, asked that why the government wanted to get this petition disposed of. It asked what benefit it would give to the government. The bench observed that the Aafia case has already become a movement and it is a long struggle. Justice Ishaq added that the problem could not be resolved by just ending this case. The court further observed that the government has taken all the steps regarding Dr Aafia only because of this case. The judge said that the US visa was granted to Dr Fowzia Siddiqui because of the directions of this court, and also the prime minister wrote a letter for Dr Aafia. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
The nation's daughter
We call her the daughter of our nation, yet Aafia Siddiqui has become a symbol of our deepest failure. A Pakistani citizen abducted, disappeared and sentenced in a sham trial to 86 years in a US prison, Aafia remains imprisoned at FMC Carswell, where she has endured years of abuse, degradation and neglect. The Pakistani government has long professed to champion her cause but now, in a shocking turn, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declared before the Islamabad High Court that it has done 'enough' for Aafia and that her legal battle must end. All this despite the fact that Aafia faces sexual assault daily, is denied medical care, and is blocked from meeting with an imam even during Ramazan. This is not injustice — this is abandonment. The US Consulate in Houston refuses to act on Aafia's reports of abuse. Pakistani officials have ignored medical records that detail her suffering. Even the Pakistani Prime Minister's letter was met with silence from President Joe Biden of the US. One glaring example of the government's inability to act is its claim that a prisoner swap is impossible due to the absence of a legal framework between Pakistan and the US. Prisoner swaps are political decisions. The US has made such exchanges with adversaries like Russia and Iran, and Pakistan can surely take advantage of its leverage. Last year, Aafia's legal team filed a lawsuit exposing the constitutional violations Aafia has suffered through. The Pakistan government has not filed a single document in her defence — not even an amicus brief against sexual assault, medical neglect or religious suppression. Even obtaining her inmate account, crucial to proving her indigency, has become a legal battle the Pakistan government refuses to join. Aafia has spent over 5,000 days in prison for crimes she did not commit. The evidence of her innocence continues to grow. We must not abandon her to die in silence. Maria Kari USA
