Release of $20m to US lawyers: Aafia’s lawyer files contempt plea

LAHORE: Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s counsel on Tuesday filed a contempt of court petition in the Lahore High Court against interior and foreign affairs ministries for releasing $20 million to American lawyers for defence of the Pakistan woman in US courts, in violation of a court order.

Ms Siddiqui’s counsel Iqbal Jafree submitted in the court that the LHC had restrained the federal government from releasing the money to three American lawyers on Aug 12 and told it to withhold the payment till a decision of the case. He said the government released the amount for payment to American lawyers in violation of the LHC order and prayed to the court to initiate contempt proceedings against interior and foreign affairs ministries.

Already, Jafree has challenged the allocation of $20 million by the government for Ms Siddiqui’s defence in the US and expressed the fear that the money could go be misappropriated.
Source: Dawn
Date:8/19/2009