The federal government has decided not to become a party in the legal proceedings concerning Dr. Aafia Siddiqui in a US court — a move that prompted sharp questions from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday.
The matter came up during a hearing on a petition filed by Dr. Fawzia Siddiqui, who has long been advocating for her sister’s health and repatriation from the United States, where Dr. Aafia is serving a prison sentence.
Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan presided over the hearing. Appearing before the court were the petitioner’s counsel Imran Shafiq, the Additional Attorney General (AAG), and other government representatives.
During proceedings, the AAG informed the bench that the government had opted not to formally join the case in the US. However, when asked to explain the rationale behind such a significant decision, the AAG merely said, “This is the government’s decision.”
That response did not sit well with the judge, who observed, “Whenever the government or the Attorney General takes a stance, there must be reasoning behind it. No decision is made in a vacuum. This is a constitutional court — one cannot simply appear and state a decision without offering any justification.”
Justice Ijaz emphasized that the court requires the reasoning behind the government’s move and directed the AAG to present a detailed explanation at the next hearing.
The case was adjourned until July 4, when the government is expected to provide clarity on its refusal to participate in Dr. Siddiqui’s US court case.
