Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sent a letter to US President Joe Biden requesting clemency for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, who has been held in American detention for several years.
This information came to light during a hearing at the Islamabad High Court, where Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan was considering a petition filed by Fauzia Siddiqui for her sister’s release from an American prison and repatriation.
Additional Attorney General Manzoor Iqbal appeared before the court and confirmed that the Pakistani government had reached out to the US President for clemency on behalf of Dr. Aafia.
Earlier this year, Dr. Aafia’s attorney, Clive Stafford Smith, disclosed that she has been enduring sexual assault at the Fort Worth jail in Texas.
The American counsel representing the Pakistani national, who is serving an 86-year sentence, reported ongoing sexual harassment, including a recent incident where a security guard allegedly raped her as a form of punishment.
Following a meeting with Dr. Aafia, Stafford Smith stated that the sexual abuse had not ceased and that she continues to face physical harassment consistently.
