Dr Aafia might be killed in US custody: sister

KARACHI - Dr Fouzia Siddiqui, the sister of Dr Aafia, has expressed her fears that US security agencies might kill her sister, who had been detained by them for last five years, adding earlier Saood Memon was also brutally killed by the US agencies before his production in the court. Addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club (KPC) here on Tuesday, she said that her sister was produced before the court, escorted by the US soldiers and agency persons, adding her condition showed she was not being provided better medical treatment. Dr Fouzia Siddiqui said that she learnt from some television reports that the kidneys of her sister were not working, but the US government did not carry out any medical check-up of Dr Aafia. She said that Aafia appeared before the court in a wheelchair and she could not even stand due to her festering wounds. She said that her brother was allowed to meet Dr Aafia in the court and he told that she was near to death. She said the inhuman torture of Dr Aafia was a slap on the face of US civilization, adding even her two children who had US nationality were deprived of basic human rights. Dr Fouzia Siddiqui said that the only mistake of Dr Aafia was that she wore headscarf and offered five-time prayers and the US did not like it. She charged the Pakistani security agencies were fully involved in the handing over of Dr Aafia to the Americans. She said without active help of Pakistani agencies it was not possible for the Americans to shift her sister outside the Pakistani territories. She said if Dr Afia did involved in any criminal activity, her trial should have been held in Pakistan. Dr Fouzia citied the assassination of Saud Memon, who murdered in the custody of US agencies and feared that her sister might also be killed in similar way. President Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Karachi Chapter, Khalid Khawaja, said that he had repeatedly contacted Pakistani Ambassador in US, Hussain Haqqani, on phone and requested him to ask the US government to provide medical facilities and other human rights to Dr Aafia. He said as Pakistanis were ruled by what he called a slavish government, the US authorities did not pay any attention towards their sentiments He said that Pakistan government must give the required surety to US authorities regarding Dr Aafa, as she was a Pakistani citizen.

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