PRESS RELEASE
Press Release, August 12
Source: http://hrcp-web.org/
Lahore: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
urges the government of Pakistan to fulfil its
duty of ensuring that Dr. Aafia Siddiqui receives
full justice, necessary facilities and immediate
medical attention. HRCP demands an official investigation
into Dr. Siddiqui's, and her children's, disappearance
and details of their detention - from the
point of being picked up in 2003 till the present.
HRCP also emphasises that Dr. Siddiqui should
not be repatriated to Pakistan against her wishes
and be given the full opportunity to contest
her case in the US. The fear is that once she
has been repatriated to Pakistan she will be
pressurised by the intelligence agencies to maintain
silence and she will not be able to secure justice.
Though it may be a relief that she has been traced
there is no information about Dr. Siddiqui's
children. The government must also disclose the
whereabouts of her children.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has
been following the case of disappearance of Dr.
Aafia Siddiqui and her three children since early
2003. The information collected by HRCP at that
particular time was that in March 2003 Dr. Siddiqui,
along with her three children, left her mother's
house in a taxi on her way to the Karachi airport
and was picked up by an intelligence agency.
What she was accused of when picked up has not
been made public. Strangely, the only charge
against her is an alleged assault against her
captors while in custody.
A statement was issued expressing concern on
this most heinous violation of human rights and
HRCP demanded an explanation from the government.
The parents of Dr. Siddiqui were also contacted,
who were under sever threat of the intelligence
agencies and warned not to speak either to the
press or any human rights organization. At one
point office bearers of the HRCP contacted the
family of Dr. Siddiqui and arranged to meet but
at the last minute they expressed their "inability" to
see the office bearers despite the fact that
the meeting was arranged at their request. Since
then HRCP representatives have been in touch
with the family and filed a constitutional petition
in the Supreme Court which is still pending.
The petition was heard on the 8th of March 2007
and at several subsequent hearings the government
expressed their ignorance of the whereabouts
of Dr. Siddiqui and her children.
HRCP is convinced that Dr. Siddiqui and her
three children were picked up from Karachi as
is evident from the initial reports and urges
the government to now play a positive role in
insuring that she gets full justice, fair trial
as well as compensation from the government of
United States for the mistreatment meted out
to her. HRCP appreciates that the Pakistan mission
has sought consular access to her yet these belated
efforts can only be compensated if the Pakistan
government is able to intervene in the courts
in the US and submit an honest investigation
report
HRCP will remain in touch with the legal team
defending Dr. Siddiqui and will make all efforts
to submit its own reports through her lawyers.
The violation of the rights of Dr. Siddiqui
and her children, and countless other missing
persons, is squarely the responsibility of the
government of Pakistan. There is enough evidence
indicating that she was initially picked up by
the intelligence agencies in Pakistan and therefore
it is not only the government of the United States
but also the government of Pakistan that must
be made accountable for this crime.
HRCP fears that the fate of Dr. Siddiqui will
be the same as hundreds of others who have disappeared,
been tortured and rendered to third countries
without following the legal process. Regrettably
petitions of hundreds of people in almost similar
circumstances are pending in the courts of Pakistan
and not in one single case has full justice been
delivered. No one has received compensation neither
have the perpetrators been brought to justice.
Asma Jahangir
Chairperson
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