Karachi, Pakistan – Altaf Shakur, Chairman of the Pasban Democratic Party, called for the Pakistani government to demonstrate greater national honor and courage in addressing the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, comparing Pakistan’s approach unfavorably with India’s handling of the Devyani Khobragade incident.

According to Pasban Democratic Party, Shakur criticized both the political and military establishments in Pakistan for their lack of interest in Dr. Siddiqui’s case, attributing this to a reluctance to upset the United States. He argued that Pakistan’s debt dependence has made it subservient to international financial institutions like the IMF and the World Bank, which he claimed are primarily concerned with American capitalist interests.

Shakur lamented that after the era of the East India Company, Pakistan has become enslaved to the IMF. He expressed disappointment in Pakistani political parties for not showing solidarity with Dr. Siddiqui and accused them of exploiting her name for electoral gains without fulfilling promises to secure her release. He urged voters to reject these parties in the upcoming general elections.

Drawing a parallel with the case of Devyani Khobragade, an Indian diplomat arrested in the US in 2013 on charges of visa fraud, Shakur praised the Indian government and people for their unity and swift action in securing her release. In contrast, he depicted the Pakistani response to Dr. Siddiqui’s situation as weak. Dr. Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist, has been imprisoned in the US for 20 years without formal charges, which Shakur attributed to the Pakistani government’s cowardice and the people’s failure to support her adequately.

Shakur demanded that the Pakistani government and institutions shed their indifference and confront the American government with bravery to advocate for Dr. Siddiqui’s case. He highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting the threats to her life in an American jail and the approaching general elections in Pakistan.