Pakistani intelligence blocked a prisoner swap to release Dr Aafia Siddiqui

[سيف الله]

Salaam

Another twist in the Dr Aafia Siddiqui saga

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There were strong rumours sweeping across Pakistan recently that Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a cause célèbre across the Muslim world, had died in the Texas jail where she is serving an 86-year prison sentence having been convicted in a US court of seven counts of the attempted murder of US soldiers. Before tens of thousands of Pakistanis had a chance to rally on the streets in protest, a consular official was quickly despatched to the jail and, after a two hour meeting with Dr Siddiqui, was able to confirm that the rumours weren’t true.

Having investigated the case around Dr Siddiqui for 15 years now, I feel deeply uncomfortable about the ongoing charades that continue to be played around her. I still believe that she is the victim of a gross miscarriage of justice; a pawn in a rotten game between certain sections of US intelligence and Pakistan’s own spy agency, the ISI.

The time has now come to end my silence over this affair. I can reveal that I was literally days away from getting Dr Siddiqui released from Carswell Prison in Fort Worth with a full US Presidential pardon. She was to be exchanged for Robert “Bowe” Bergdahl, an American soldier who was held captive from June 2009 to May 2014 by the Taliban.

After being approached by senior members of the Taliban Shura (consultative council) while I was visiting the region in 2013, I was told that it might be possible to exchange Bergdahl for the Pakistan-born doctor and mother-of-three. I immediately made contact with US military intelligence, because I knew that if anyone was going to take me seriously it would be the US Army, which has a proud boast of “never leaving any soldier behind”. My instincts served me well, and I was soon put in contact with a senior military officer well versed in hostage negotiations.

Over a period of months and subsequent visits to the men who once held me captive, a deal was formulated. It involved no money, just a straightforward swap; Siddiqui for Bergdahl.

I had not informed anyone in Pakistan of what I was attempting because, quite frankly, many of the politicians I’ve encountered there are untrustworthy and I knew that there would be elements within the country’s intelligence network that would resist such a move. As such, I began making plans to bring Dr Aafia from a drop point in Afghanistan and over the border through the Khyber Pass, where we could then hold a press conference and make the announcement of her freedom.

The exchange with Bergdahl was to have been be done simultaneously. The final request made to me was a “proof of life” video showing the Americans that the soldier was still alive, and this was agreed by his captors.

When I returned for yet another clandestine meeting with the Taliban officials, though, they looked downcast and nervous. Through a translator I was told: “Dr Aafia is off the table. Maybe there’s someone else we can trade?” I was shocked and asked why, but very little information was given, which then prompted me to throw several insults questioning their honour and Islamic duty to try to free prisoners.

This was a risky thing to do because no one from my family, friends or colleagues knew where I was or who I was talking to; or, indeed, any of the details of my many trips to Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, as you can imagine, having spent so much time and getting so far in negotiations I was frustrated, even though I tried to keep a lid on the rage burning inside me.

Finally, out of the silence came the Taliban’s answer; it still shocks me today. The ISI had stumbled across our plans during one of their regular meetings with the Afghan Taliban, who were informed in no uncertain terms that Aafia Siddiqui must not be released; if she was returned to Pakistan, stressed the ISI officers, she’d most likely be dead within two days. I asked why, as Afghans, they were taking any notice of a Pakistani spy agency and questioned why Mullah Omar would have entered into such a dishonourable deal. Little did I know that the Taliban’s spiritual leader had, in fact, died some months earlier and his death would not be announced in public for another year.

After some discussion amongst themselves, the translator responded: “Hundreds of our soldiers have been injured in battles and the ISI has made arrangements to take care of them in Pakistan. Without their help and support we would be really struggling. We need them. When we stood up to America and refused to hand over Osama [Bin Laden] we had a country. We never wanted a war with the Americans, they brought the war to us. Until we regain our country we are not in the same position of strength as we were in 2001. Surely you must understand that?”

I got up and left with my guide, and have not met with the Taliban since.

As soon as I was able to, I informed my US contact that the deal was off. Naturally there was huge disappointment and then surprise when I explained why. That disappointment turned to anger when it transpired that the US State Department had jumped in and offered five senior Taliban commanders in exchange for the American soldier.

Those key members of the Taliban are now living in Qatar. I have been reliably informed that they would have refused to leave Guantanamo Bay, where they were being held, had they thought that Dr Siddiqui could be released instead of them.

I can tell you that while there was much joy to have Bergdahl back on home ground, there was also anger in the Pentagon that it had cost the US so dearly when a prisoner swap with Dr Siddiqui could have gone ahead.

What I have learned from all of this is that Dr Aafia Siddiqui would be free now if she was not a Pakistani citizen. Despite all the demonstrations and protests in Pakistan — and tears shed for the so-called “Daughter of the Nation” — she is not going home. Astonishingly, not one single official request has ever been made to the US authorities by the government in Islamabad to have her released.

Aafia will thus continue to be a symbol of everything that is wrong with George W Bush’s never-ending War on Terror; a pawn in a vile game being played out by Pakistan’s ISI and others. She will also be a rallying point for every would-be jihadi group from East to West as long as she is being held in that prison in Texas.

I’ve spoken to several Pakistani diplomats in recent years about Dr Siddiqui, telling them that if their Prime Ministers and Presidents are really sincere about wanting to bring her home then all they have to do is pick up the phone to Washington and organise a swap with Dr Shakil Afridi. He is the man, you may recall, who was jailed in Pakistan for his part in helping US forces hunt down and kill Osama Bin Laden.

Afridi was accused of treason and jailed after running a fake vaccine programme which helped the CIA to confirm that the Al-Qaida leader was indeed hiding with his family in the city of Abbottabad. Samples taken are said to have paved the way for the helicopter-led US Navy Seal raid on the compound where he lived.

Dr Afridi has recently been transferred to Adiala Prison near Islamabad, and there are more rumours in circulation that a deal has been reached with the US and he will soon be released. Sadly there will be no exchange with Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a woman who, in my view, continues to be denied justice thanks in large part to Pakistan’s ISI intelligence agency. It is hard to find the words to express how shameful this state of affairs really is.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180529-pakistani-intelligence-blocked-a-prisoner-swap-to-release-dr-aafia-siddiqui/#.Ww0xDsW8_WA.twitter

[hinabutt]

I really hope U.S Govt releases her. She deserves to be with her family.

[Alamgir]

Asalamu Alaikum

Sounds like crap, there would be no reason whatsoever for Pakistan to block such a swap, especially when it never concerned the country in the first place.

It's not like the Taliban are even that close with Pakistan either, they still refuse to accept the Durrand line (much to Pakistan's frustration) among other things. If Pakistan had this much leverage over them, disagreements like this would not be publicised.

I hope Afridi rots in a cell for the rest of his life and is damned to jahanam, and inshallah Aafia is released.

That idiot single-handedly ruined Pakistan's polio campaign, he doesn't deserve to ever see the light of day.

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Asalamu Alaikum

Sounds like crap, there would be no reason whatsoever for Pakistan to block such a swap, especially when it never concerned the country in the first place.

It's not like the Taliban are even that close with Pakistan either, they still refuse to accept the Durrand line (much to Pakistan's frustration) among other things. If Pakistan had this much leverage over them, disagreements like this would not be publicised.

I hope Afridi rots in a cell for the rest of his life and is damned to jahanam, and inshallah Aafia is released.

That idiot single-handedly ruined Pakistan's polio campaign, he doesn't deserve to ever see the light of day.

[hinabutt]

I agree with you. Afridi often makes such stupid statements. He is such a big embarrassment to Pakistan.

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I agree with you. Afridi often makes such stupid statements. He is such a big embarrassment to Pakistan.

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[سيف الله]

Salaam

Another update. Worth a try at least.

SC rejects petition requesting Aafia Siddiqui's repatriation

ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court has rejected a petition on Monday that called for repatriating Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who is incarcerated in the United States.

The three-judge bench, headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, resumed the hearing on the petition filed by Fowzia Siddiqui, Dr Aafia’s sister, that also called for formulating a comprehensive policy for protecting fundamental rights of Pakistanis detained abroad.

Dr Aafia Siddiqui, convicted in 2010 on charges of attempted murder and mounting an assault on US military personnel, is serving an 86-year sentence at the Federal Medical Centre, Carswell, Fort Worth in Texas.

The petition requested the court to order the government to ratify certain international treaties – either the convention on the transfer of sentenced persons or the inter-American convention on serving criminals sentences abroad.

Ratifying these treaties, the petitioner insisted, were necessary for repatriating Dr Aafia Siddiqui and other Pakistani prisoners as soon as possible.

During the hearing on Monday, the bench wondered how Pakistan’s apex court could direct the US authorities.

The petitioner was directed to approach a US court to address her grievances.

“We took up the matter just to know if she is alive or not. It is learnt that she is alive … We cannot do anything in this matter,” Justice Nisar said.

The chief justice said that there was no way they could order authorities of an independent state.

When the petitioner’s counsel insisted that the case fell under the apex court’s purview under Article 4 of the Constitution, the bench noted that the article was not applicable in this case by any extension, and they could not order Pakistan’s embassy to take up the matter with the US authorities.

Meanwhile, Fowzia Siddiqui left the courtroom in tears.

Last week, a confidential report prepared by Pakistan’s consul-general of her visit to Dr Aafia Siddiqui maintained that Dr Aafia was subjected to physical and sexual abuse during her detention.

Consul-General Aisha Farooqui visited Aafia at the medical center in Carswell, Texas.

The report recommended diplomatic authorities to take up the case at the highest levels to find a way for repatriating Dr Aafia, allowing her to serve her remaining sentence in Pakistan.

Aafia’s sister Fowzia Siddiqui submitted the report compiled by the consul-general on May 23 after she met with Dr Aafia.

It presented details about miserable conditions suffered by Dr Aafia, including her struggle to protect her dignity, integrity and respect.

However, the bench did not consider this report.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1741976/1-sc-rejects-petition-requesting-aafia-siddiquis-repatriation/

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[BeTheChange]

walaikumasalaam...

Beyond sadness. Beyond grief. When we return to Allah swt only then will we find true happiness and true justice. Justice in this world is based on falsehood.

[Abz2000]

walaikumasalaam...

Beyond sadness. Beyond grief. When we return to Allah swt only then will we find true happiness and true justice. Justice in this world is based on falsehood.

What is falsely referred to as "justice" by corrupt authorities is based on falsehood, and falsehood loses to truth - however true justice is and always will be true justice by the measure of Allah :swt:


تَكُونُ النُّبُوَّةُ فِيكُمْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةٌ عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ النُّبُوَّةِ فَتَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ مُلْكًا عَاضًّا فَيَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ مُلْكًا جَبْرِيَّةً فَتَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةً عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ النُّبُوَّةِ ثُمَّ سَكَتَ

“There will be Prophethood for as long as Allah wills it to be, then He will remove it when He wills, then there will be Khilafah on the Prophetic method and it will be for as long as Allah wills, then He will remove it when He wills,
Then there will be biting Kingship for as long as Allah Wills, then He will remove it when He wills,
Then there will be oppressive kingship for as long as Allah wills, then he will remove it when He wills,
- And then there will be Khilafah upon the Prophetic method” and then he remained silent.

(Ahmed)


See also Daniel 2&7 - although Allah :swt: knows best.

[Abz2000]

[سيف الله]

Salaam

Another update

British campaign pressures Pakistan to swap doctors jailed for ‘terror’ offences

Lobby led by peer negotiates with Imran Khan and senior military to secure exchange of two prisoners

For two Pakistani doctors languishing in jails thousands of miles apart, there was more at stake than the promise made by Imran Khan to transform their nation as he declared victory after the general election.

During weeks of frenetic political campaigning, an influential group of British Pakistanis has been negotiating with Khan and senior military figures to arrange a prisoner swap involving Dr Shakil Afridi, who helped the CIA track the al-Qaida leader, Osama bin Laden, and Dr Aafia Siddiqui, convicted of attempting to kill two American military personnel.

While on the election trail, Khan, who heads the Tehreek-e-Insaf party which won the largest number of seats, and is due to be sworn in as prime minister on 11 August, announced that he would secure Siddiqui’s repatriation. The initiative to achieve this is being led by a British peer, Nazir Ahmed, who is to visit Pakistan soon for discussions with the powerful military leadership, which is likely to have the final say. Ahmed, who is closely connected to the Pakistani establishment, said: “The Americans are desperate for the release of Dr Afridi and to take him to their country, while the Pakistani public want Dr Siddiqui to come home. There have been some very positive developments in our discussions with the Pakistani military leadership. They are very receptive to the idea of striking a deal with the Americans and so is Pakistan’s political leadership. They actually came close to it a while ago but it fell through because of other factors. It’s just a question of timing, but I’m very confident that an exchange can be arranged.”

Siddiqui, 46, is being held at FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, a federal prison for those with mental health needs, after being sentenced to 86 years’ imprisonment in 2010. The Americans accused her of being an al-Qaida “facilitator” who was plotting attacks in New York. For five years before her arrest in 2008, they alleged that they did not know of her whereabouts, declaring her one of the world’s most-wanted terrorists.

Afridi, 56, was sentenced in 2013 to 33 years’ imprisonment for treason. He ran a bogus hepatitis B vaccination campaign for the CIA in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, collecting DNA samples that allowed it to locate Bin Laden, but was charged with other terrorism-related offences. His sentence was later reduced to 23 years, which he is appealing against from prison in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad.

The incarcerations have damaged US-Pakistan relations, while generating anger within both nations. Siddiqui’s conviction brought protests across Pakistan. The Americans hailed Afridi as a hero.

Naseem Bajwa, a barrister who practises in London and Lahore, said: “The ball is in Pakistan’s court because the Americans at the very highest levels want Afridi. The legal mechanism exists for a prisoner swap so it’s just a case of nailing down the political and military backing for it in Pakistan, which is now there.”

Siddiqui’s family and supporters claim the case against her is fabricated and that she was kidnapped by Pakistani intelligence while driving through Karachi in 2003 with her three children. They allege she was handed over to the Americans and held in solitary confinement at the Bagram base in Afghanistan, which accounts for her “missing” five years, during which she was tortured, raped and suffered mental illness.

Siddiqui, a neuroscientist, who also holds American citizenship, is not appealing against her conviction, protesting that she will not get a fair hearing. US officials say Afridi’s imprisonment is a “priority issue”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-war-on-terror

[سيف الله]

Salaam

Another sister has been abducted by the security forces.

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[سيف الله]

Salaam

Some background

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[سيف الله]

Salaam

Another update

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