Illegal detention of Aafia mocks US justice system
ISLAMABAD, Sep 22 (SABAH): Illegal detention of Pakistani woman scientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui has exposed the biased US justice system and hollowness of the American slogans of equality and fairness, said the speakers of a protest demo here on Thursday.
The demo was arranged by Aafia Movement Pakistan in front of National Press Club on the occasion of passing twelve years of biased verdict of a US court that had sent innocent Aafia to 86 years in jail even without any evidence against her.
The demo was addressed by Dr Fowzia Siddiqui Founder Aafia Movement. Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat e Islami, Aamna Masood Janjua chairperson Defense of Human Rights Pakistan, Mian Aslam Naib Amir Jamaat e Islami, Sardar Mazhar Nazim e Alaa MSO Jamil Farooqi, Uzma Gul – daughter of General Hamid Gul, Abdullah Gul Chairman Tehreek Jawanan Pakistan (TJP), BOL Journalist and Nasrullah Randhawa- Amir Jamaat e Islami Islamabad also spoke on the occasion.
They said that the case of Aafia Siddiqui has shown the real biased face of American justice system to the world. They say if one is white or a non-Muslim he may be doled out justice in America but if one is a black or a Muslim there would be no justice for him in America justice system. However such demos were also held in other cities.
In Karachi addressing a demo on video link, Aafia Movement Pakistan leader and noted neurophysician of the country Dr Fowzia Siddiqui said that all rulers of Pakistan including the present ones have shown lack of courage on the issue of illegally detained Pakistani woman scientist Dr Fowzia Siddiqui.
She said the US justice system in biased and if you are a Muslim or a Black there is no justice for you in the United States of America. She said if a person is a Muslim or a Black it is not necessary to prove that he or she is really has committed crime: their faith and color is too enough to convict them without proving their guilt. Giving example of Pakistani origin man Syed Adnan, she said that the biased American justice system forced him to remain jailed for twenty years in a fake case before confessing that he was innocent.
She said that same is the case of Aafia Siddiqui, whom the biased American justice system handed 86 years long shameful jail sentence without any evidence against her. She said Aafia was convicted just to tell the Pakistanis and the Muslim Ummah how weak and toothless they were. She said she would continue to raise voice for innocent sister Dr Aafia Siddiqui till she is alive.
She was addressing to a protest demo in front of the Karachi Press Club (KPC) here Thursday on passage of 12 years of one-sided US court verdict to sentence Aafia Siddiqui for 86 years.
The volunteers of Aafia Movement wearing dress of US prisoners and carrying a symbolic coffin of the US justice system took part in the demo. The symbolic coffin was inscribed with a slogan of “US Justice (RIP)”. A large number of workers od Pasban Democratic Party (PDP), Muslim Students Organisation and civil society people also attended the demo.
PDP Chairman Altaf Shakoor said that interestingly noted lawyer of the world including some prominent American lawyers have rejected the 86 years jail sentence to Aafia. She said the allegation that Aafia had attacked US soldiers could not be proved in the US court but instead it shamelessly convicted Aafia.
He said the role of the then Zardari government in this case was shameful. He said it was totally illegal to try Dr Aafia in any US court but the coward Zardari government remained meekly silent. He said at that time Hussain Haqani was the Pakistani ambassador in the US who told plain lies to the mother of Aafia, Late Asmat Siddiqui, that Aafia is being released soon and her room should be readied as she would return home anytime.
He said when Asif Zardari became president he could do nothing in murder case of his wife Benazir Bhutto. He said the nation anyway had no hope from this Zardari. He said that then came Nawaz Sharif who called Asmat Siddiqui as his mother and said for him Aafia was like his own daughter Maryam. However, soon Nawaz Sharif adopted a total mum on the issue of Aafia Siddiqui. He said the most shameful U-turn on Aafia Siddiqui issue was taken by PTI Chairman Imran Khan who came into power on Aafia sympathy vote but remain cowardly silent during his whole government.
Altaf Shakoor said that all Pakistani rulers betrayed the daughter of the nation and didn’t obey the orders of Pakistani courts regarding efforts for Aafia release. He said now it is turn of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and nation would see if wants to become a brave and honorable ruler regarding the case of Aafia Siddiqui.
The protesters strongly demanded from the government to take foolproof steps to secure release of Aafia on urgent basis.