Federal govt submits a miscellaneous application requesting immediate disposal of petition for her release
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-March 7th, 2025) The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday questioned how Pakistan handed over a prisoner to the United States despite the absence of a prisoner exchange agreement between the two countries.
Justice Sardar Ejaz Khan raised this question while hearing a case related to Dr. Aafia Sddiqui and her repatriation to Pakistan.
The Federal government submitted a miscellaneous application requesting the immediate disposal of the petition for her release. The court issued a notice on the government's request and sought a response.
During the hearing, the matter of Shariullah, an ISIS commander captured by Pakistan and handed over to the US was also discussed. Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan addressed the additional attorney General (AAG), observing that “You claim that there is no prisoner exchange agreement with the US, yet you handed over a detainee without any such agreement,”.
Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan further remarked, “Yesterday, you transferred a detainee to the US without an agreement. You were also given an in-camera opportunity to discuss Dr. Shakeel Afridi’s handover to the US Two declarations were issued, and the government was asked to respond, but the reply was unsatisfactory. Now, the government wants Aafia Siddiqui’s petition dismissed,”.
The court observed, “In simple words, you are saying that you want to get rid of this case. The prime minister wrote the letter he was supposed to, a visa was provided as required, and the government did what it could. But adopting this approach will let the whole world know what Pakistan’s government has done,”.
The bench asked what remarkable efforts have you made.
Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan reminded the Attorney General’s Office that in the last hearing, they were directed to present recommendations to the government and update the court, yet now they were seeking case dismissal.
During the proceedings, petitioner’s lawyer Imran Shafiq Advocate and Additional Attorney General Munawwar Iqbal Duggal appeared before the court.
Dr. Fouzia Siddiqui and Aafia Siddiqui’s American lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, participated via video link.
Later, the court issued a notice on the miscellaneous application and adjourned the hearing until next Friday.
