DPM Dar says remarks on Dr Aafia Siddiqui 'taken out of context'

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has clarified that his recent remarks regarding Dr Aafia Siddiqui, made during a talk in Washington, were “taken out of context” and reaffirmed that the government remains committed to her release.

FM Dar, currently on an official visit to the United States, made the statement during a discussion at the Atlantic Council. In response to a question comparing the cases of former prime minister Imran Khan and Dr Siddiqui, Dar noted that both countries have judicial systems that must be respected when due process is followed.

However, his comments prompted criticism from Dr Siddiqui’s legal counsel, Clive Stafford Smith, who described the remarks as “idiotic” and claimed they misrepresented the nature of her trial and incarceration. He argued that Dr Siddiqui was denied a fair trial and that the Pakistani government should adopt a stronger stance in advocating for her release.

In a follow-up post on social media, FM Dar reiterated that successive Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) governments had extended “consistent diplomatic and legal assistance” to Dr Siddiqui and would continue to do so. He also emphasised that respect for legal systems, whether in the US or Pakistan, is essential.

Dr Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, was convicted in 2010 by a US court on charges of attempted murder of US personnel in Afghanistan. She is currently serving a prison sentence at the Federal Medical Center, Carswell, in Texas.

The controversy arises amid ongoing legal proceedings in Pakistan regarding efforts for her repatriation. On July 21, the Islamabad High Court issued a contempt notice to the federal government, including the prime minister and cabinet, over delays in filing an amicus brief in support of Dr Siddiqui’s case.

Last year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote to US President Joe Biden requesting a humanitarian pardon for Dr Siddiqui, citing her deteriorating mental and physical health after 16 years of incarceration. The US State Department declined to comment on the letter.