ISLAMABAD – Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal clarified on Thursday that he “certainly” had not said that Dr Aafia Siddiqui was unwilling to return to Pakistan.
During his weekly press briefing, Dr Faisal expressed that his statement regarding Dr Siddiqui had been distorted and taken out of context adding that steps to bring Dr Siddiqui back were underway and the matter was continuously being raised with Washington.
Dr Faisal continued that regarding Dr Siddiqui and Shakeel Afridi, Pakistan’s stance was the same as before.
The clarification came days after Independent Urdu shared an interview with the FO spokesperson in which he had said: She (Dr Siddiqui) will not come back. She does not want to come back herself, as per the information I have.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/dr-aafia-siddiqui-unwilling-to-return-to-pakistan-claims-fo-spox/
The FO spokesperson had said that the only way the possibility of Dr Siddiqui’s return could arise was a meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and US President Donald Trump.
Dr Siddiqui’s sister Dr Fouzia had contested the FO spokesperson statement adding that at one point it had seemed as if Aafia was going to come to Pakistan any moment.
“Aafia told me on the phone that she is ready to sign any document, and that she only wants to get out of jail somehow,” Dr Fouzia was quoted as saying.
