Dr Aafia’s sister barred from addressing media

ISLAMABAD (September 17 2008): The government has barred Dr Fozia Siddiqui, sister of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, from addressing a press conference, spokesman for Defence of Human Rights Saad Saleem said. Talking to the media persons here on Tuesday, he said that after receiving Muhammad Ahmad, the son of Dr Aafia, on Monday night, Dr Fozia Siddiqui announced that she would address the press conference.

But the government stopped her and ordered her to postpone her press conference till tomorrow, he added. Saleem said that he had been assigned to address the press conference in the absence of Dr Siddiqui. He appreciated the democratic government’s efforts towards addressing the issues of human rights violations and termed the handing over of Dr Aafia’s son as the first drop of rain.

“We expect that our elected government will seek Aafia’s repatriation to Pakistan from illegal US custody immediately,” he said. Defence of Human Rights strongly condemned the act of US Department of Homeland security, which had cowardly revoked the travel visa for Amna Masood Janjua, Chairperson, and Defence of Human Rights.

Saad said that Ms Janjua along with Amnesty International completed a tour of Europe where she highlighted the plight of missing persons’ families. He said that she had been instrumental in bringing the issue of missing persons in Pakistan to the lime light and had been struggling since then to get her husband and hundreds of others back from the illegal custody of secret agencies. He demanded the government for an early release of all missing persons as promised by its ministers.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:9/17/2008