Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticized the alleged inaction of the Government of Pakistan on the matter of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, who is serving an 86-year prison sentence in the United States.
PDP Karachi Chief Organizer Tariq Chandiwala said today that Dr. Siddiqui is being denied necessary medical attention and is not allowed to meet an Imam. He stressed that obstruction in performing religious rituals is a violation of her spiritual rights at the American correctional facility.
He further claimed that Dr. Siddiqui’s situation is beyond human rights, alleging that she has been deprived of even the basic protections that should be afforded to every prisoner under international law.
The PDP official dismissed the statements of Pakistani leaders on Human Rights Day as “useless” without concrete actions for Dr. Siddiqui’s release. He highlighted an unfulfilled promise made to the nation for her repatriation, questioning when this pledge will be honored.
According to Chandiwala, Dr. Siddiqui has been enduring these alleged violations of human and women’s rights for twenty-two years. He framed her release not as a political issue but as a matter of international human rights that demands immediate and effective humanitarian action.
Concluding his statement, Chandiwala formally demanded that the Government of Pakistan undertake serious diplomatic efforts to ensure the immediate release and return of Dr. Siddiqui. He reiterated the call to fulfill the promise made to the public, stressing that it is now time to provide justice to the “daughter of the nation.”