Cabinet to okay Dr Aafia repatriation accord Wednesday: officials

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior Tuesday said that Federal Cabinet would approve an agreement for the repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist who was sentenced to 86 years in prison by a New York Court for trying to kill American soldiers and F.B.I. agents in Afghanistan, Geo News reported.

The ministry officials revealed it during a meeting of Senate’s Standing Committee held with Senator Talha Mehmood in chair.

“Siddiqui was indicted for the charges of attempted murder and assault and not terrorism”, the ministry officials said briefing the committee.

The committee was briefed about the steps and arrangements taken during the last three years for Dr Siddiqi's repatriation.

The Committee was also briefed about the two international treaties allowing exchange/repatriation of prisoners, the signing of which had been recommended by the task force formed by the Interior Minister.

These treaties include the inter-American Convention on Serving Criminals Abroad and the Convention of the Council of Europe on Serving Criminal Sentences abroad.

The officials added that the summaries of both the treaties with regard to Dr Siddiqui’s extradition had been sent to Federal Cabinet for approval.

“The Cabinet will most probably endorse one of the agreements tomorrow (Wednesday), which will be implemented within three months of its ratification”, they added further.

The officials said, "The Interior Ministry had received a letter from the US in 2010 regarding the procedures for the repatriation of convicted prisoners. The then interior minister Rehman Malik had shared this information with the media in a press conference back in the day, however, it was never pursued."

The committee was told that at least 66 countries were the signatories to the Convention of the Council of Europe on Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad with the US as an observer, but the process for repatriation of prisoners was long-winding and tedious.

However, in case of the inter-American Convention on Serving Criminals, there were only 17 countries, the ministry officials said.

Senator Talha Mahmood, who chaired the meeting, said the committee would extend full support to the ministries of Foriegn Affairs and Interior to bring back Dr Siddiqui home.

The meeting was attended by Senators Col (retd) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Najma Hameed, Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hassani and Yousaf Baloch.

Dr Siddiqui was indicted in New York federal district court in September 2008 on charges of attempted murder and assault stemming from an incident in an interview with US authorities in Ghazni, charges which Siddiqui denied.

After 18 months in detention, she was tried and convicted in early 2010 and sentenced to 86 years in prison.

Throughout the trial, the Pakistani government supported Siddiqui, and her conviction resulted in some protests in Pakistan.

Various media reports have also highlighted differences in how the case was portrayed in the US and in Pakistan.

Dr Siddiqui is presently held as a political prisoner in federal prison in Carswell Texas in virtual seclusion while her health deteriorates.

She is revered in Pakistan as the “Daughter of the Nation” for her courage and tenacity in surviving 5 years of “disappearance” during which she was tortured and abused and her children abducted.