Dr Fowzia leaves for US to meet jailed Aafia Siddiqui

KARACHI, Nov 28 (SABAH): Global Aafia Movement Chairperson and Epilepsy Foundation Pakistan President Dr Fowzia Siddiqui left for the USA  to meet her jailed sister Dr Aafia Siddiqui in FMC Carswell jail Texas.

This would be her second meeting with Aafia Siddiqui in jail, scheduled between Dec 2 and 3. The US officials have also permitted Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan and Senator Talha Mehmood to meet Aafia Siddiqui. The visa application of Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan is in process and hopefully he would also meet Dr Aafia. The supporters of Aafia Movement, saw off Dr Fowzia Siddiqui at the Karachi airport.

Talking on the occasion, she said that this time she applied for a social visit and in her permit to meet Aafia, the social visit is also mentioned. She hoped that this time the jail officials would allow her to meet her sister without a glass wall between them, so that she could hug her sister, hold her hand and buy her some tea and food from vending machine.

However, the lawyer of Aafia Siddiqui in USA Clive Stafford Smith has said that during the last two months, the condition of Aafia Siddiqui has further deteriorated. She said some important meetings are also scheduled in the US. She said they would talk to some local lawyers to get the living conditions improved for Aafia in the jail. Presently, Clive Stafford Smith lives in the UK and frequent visits to the US are not possible for different reasons.

Dr Fowzia Siddiqui said that the general elections in Pakistan are approaching near. She hoped that this time our politicians would not use the name of Aafia Siddiqui just as an electoral slogan. She appealed to the voters to check the track record of candidates before giving them vote. They should see if they have done anything for the daughter of the nation, Dr Aafia Siddiqui.

She requested the Pakistani government not to create hindrance in way to release and repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui. She appealed to the nation to pray for the health and early release of Aafia Siddiqui.