Former US President Joe Biden has rejected the clemency appeal of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, who remains imprisoned in the United States. This update was presented to Islamabad High Court during a hearing on Dr. Siddiqui’s petition for release and repatriation to Pakistan.
During the court proceedings, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan was informed that Biden, despite granting clemency to five convicted individuals, did not include Dr. Siddiqui in the list of those pardoned. Dr. Fozia Siddiqui, Aafia’s sister, and her American lawyer, Clive Smith, appeared in the court via video link, while the petitioner’s lawyer, Imran Shafiq, and the Additional Attorney General were also present.
In response to the developments, Justice Ishaq Khan remarked, “America is showing us our place. The former US president pardoned his own son, but refused to release our prisoner.” This statement reflects the frustration of Pakistani officials over the continued detention of Dr. Siddiqui despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
The court also received a report detailing the foreign visits of Pakistan’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, as well as Pakistan’s ambassador to the US not participating in meetings regarding Dr. Siddiqui’s case. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs submitted a response to the court’s queries.
Dr. Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, was convicted in the US in 2010 on charges of attempting to kill US military personnel while in Afghan custody. Her case has been a point of contention in US-Pakistan relations, with many in Pakistan calling for her release and repatriation.
In Biden’s final days in office, he signed pardons for five individuals, but Dr. Siddiqui’s name was notably absent from the list, despite her appeal for a presidential pardon. The Islamabad High Court has adjourned the hearing for two weeks as the legal proceedings continue.
