Jamaat-e-Islami woman MNA Begum Aisha Syed has called upon the government to make an appeal to the outgoing US President Barak Obama for the release of Pakistan's respected lady Dr Aafia Siddiqui. In a statement issued on Monday, she said that the government had kept up a criminal silence over the issue of Dr Aafia Siddiqui. She said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his 2013 election campaign had assured Dr Aafia's mother that immediately after taking over as Prime Minister, he would strive for the release of the detained lady.
She said that US President Obama had ordered release of hundreds of prisoners before his departure from the White House and most of these people had already been released. She noted that the list of the prisoners to be released included Dr Aafia's name.
She said it was the best time for the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior to appeal for her release, and if Washington pressed for the release of Dr Shakil Afridi, Islamabad should demand Dr Aafia's release in exchange. She said this was not an issue concerning an individual; it was an issue of human rights besides national honour Aisha Syed said that Dr Aafia's counsel had told JI Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq that if the President or the Prime Minister of Pakistan made an appeal to Obama, Dr Aafia would be released.
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