Release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui: IHC allows Dr Fowzia to amend her petition
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) allowed Dr Fowzia Siddiqui for amendment in her petition seeking release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui.
A single bench of Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan on Friday heard the constitutional petition of Dr Fowzia Siddiqui who moved the court through her lawyer Imran Shafiq Advocate and sought release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui currently confined in an American prison. Amicus Zainab Janjua also appeared before the court.
During the hearing, the IHC bench accepted the application of the lawyer of Dr Fowzia Siddiqui, Advocate Imran Shafique, for allowing amendment in the petition and instructed him to file the amended petition within a week.
The additional attorney general requested the court to dispose of the petition, saying that the government has already done in this case what it could do.
The court; however, asked that why the government wanted to get this petition disposed of. It asked what benefit it would give to the government.
The bench observed that the Aafia case has already become a movement and it is a long struggle. Justice Ishaq added that the problem could not be resolved by just ending this case.
The court further observed that the government has taken all the steps regarding Dr Aafia only because of this case. The judge said that the US visa was granted to Dr Fowzia Siddiqui because of the directions of this court, and also the prime minister wrote a letter for Dr Aafia.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Express Tribune
US B-2 bombers head to Gaum amid Israel-Iran tensions
Listen to article Six US Air Force B-2 stealth bombers have departed from Missouri and appear to be en route to Guam, amid growing speculation over a potential American military role in the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. Guam is a US island territory in Micronesia, in the Western Pacific. The aircraft, tracked via flight data and confirmed through air traffic control communications, took off from Whiteman Air Force Base and refuelled mid-air—suggesting they may be carrying heavy payloads, possibly including bunker-buster bombs. The B-2 Spirit is one of the only aircraft in the world capable of carrying 15-ton GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs. These weapons, which are designed to penetrate fortified underground targets, are considered by defence experts to be key to attacking Iran's heavily reinforced nuclear facilities, particularly the Fordow enrichment site. 'Destroying [Fordow] from the air is a job only the US can do,' said Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, speaking to Fox News Digital. Jonathan Ruhe, Director of Foreign Policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), added that the bunker-busters are engineered to penetrate deep layers of earth, rock, and concrete before detonating underground. The resulting impact, he said, could either fully destroy a target or cause surrounding structures to collapse. Trump returns for security briefings President Donald Trump is expected to return to the White House on Saturday, where he will receive intelligence briefings with the National Security Council over the weekend. He has said a decision on potential US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict will be made soon. The president has recently clashed with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who testified in March that there was "no evidence" Iran is building a nuclear weapon. Trump publicly stated she was "wrong," while Gabbard later claimed her comments were misrepresented, accusing the media of spreading 'fake news.' In a statement posted on X, Gabbard said: 'America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to finalize the assembly. President Trump has been clear that can't happen, and I agree.' Speculation over Diego Garcia stop It remains unclear whether the B-2 bombers will continue past Guam toward Diego Garcia—a key US-UK military base in the Indian Ocean, located around 3,500 km (2,175 miles) from Iran. Defence analysts have suggested Diego Garcia could serve as a forward-operating base in the event of military escalation. According to reports, between two and four B-2 bombers, along with six aerial refueling aircraft, departed from Missouri in the early hours of Saturday. US sanctions on Iran While the United States has not directly entered the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, the State Department announced new sanctions on Friday targeting Iran's defense industry. Eight entities and one individual have been blacklisted for allegedly procuring sensitive military machinery from China for Tehran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who initially sought to distance Washington from the conflict, said the measures aim to curtail Iran's ability to escalate military operations. The developments come as regional tensions intensify following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites. Iran has vowed retaliation, while calls for de-escalation have come from countries including Turkey, Russia, and China.
Business Recorder
11 hours ago
- Business Recorder
COAS Munir's praiseworthy ‘decisiveness'
That COAS Asim Munir is leading from the front is a fact that has found its best expression from the praise that he has earned from US President Donald Trump for his 'decisiveness' amid a profound crisis is a fact. Indeed, the COAS deserves such praise for his highly impressive leadership that he displayed during the four-day Pakistan-India conflict last month. No doubt, it is a fact that cannot be emphasized enough. In a related development, the COAS has made it clear to all and sundry Pakistan's approach to a variety of challenges facing the world in general and the region in particular. In his interaction in the US capital with prominent think tanks and the representatives of the strategic affairs institutions, the COAS has pointed out that there exists convergence of interests between the US and Pakistan, particularly in areas such as counterterrorism, regional security and economic development. In my view, therefore, the army chief has been receiving kudos for all the right reasons. He has done the nation and the institution that he heads proud. Samina Rahman (Karachi) Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
20 hours ago
- Business Recorder
100,000 sanitary workers to get reward money
LAHORE: Reward money announced by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz will be distributed among more than 100,000 workers of the Suthra Punjab Programme on June 21 (today) for their performance during the grand operation on Eid-ul-Azha. In this regard, a ceremony will be held at the tehsil level across Punjab in which the workers will be invited. This decision was taken during a meeting that was chaired by Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq on Friday. Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Special Secretary Asia Gul, Additional Secretary Ahmer Kaifi, Deputy Commissioners and chief officers of municipal bodies were also present. The Minister said that instead of calling all the workers on the same day, if necessary, the reward money can be distributed among the remaining people on the next day. He said the Chief Minister had announced the reward of Rs 10,000 each for over 100,000 workers who worked hard and with commitment during the hot weather on the Eid days. 'The workers worked hard during the scorching sun, and thus we saw exemplary cleanliness on Eid-ul-Azha. Hence, the Punjab government announced the reward to recognise the hard work put in by the workers,' he added. He directed the officials concerned to invite elected representatives to the ceremonies, observing that public representatives also played a full role in the awareness campaign during the grand operation. On this occasion, the Secretary said that bank drafts will be transparently given to the workers, adding that no worker of the Clean Punjab Programme should be deprived of the prize money. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
