KARACHI: The global campaign for the release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani national incarcerated in the United States, is gaining momentum with events across the United Kingdom. Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui, the sister of Dr. Aafia and chairperson of the Aafia Movement, is currently visiting the UK to bolster support from human rights activists.
Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui has participated in gatherings in Manchester and Leicester, with further programs scheduled in London, Bedfordshire, and Luton. These events aim to raise awareness about Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s situation, highlighting allegations of state-sponsored injustice and human rights violations.
The delegation from Pakistan includes Farrukh Shah Khan and Farooq Shah Khan. They are joined by UK-based supporters, including Clive Stafford Smith, Dr. Aafia’s lawyer, and Moazzim Baig of Cage International. Other notable attendees include Sheikh Suleiman Ghani, Sister Zeina, and Imam Abid of Chelsea Mosque.
At these gatherings, speakers have addressed the alleged mistreatment of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui in FMC Carswell, a US federal prison. Concerns have been raised about her being denied religious freedom, medical care, and family visits, actions described as significant human rights violations.
The campaigners echo the sentiments of former US Attorney General Ramsay Clark, who condemned the treatment of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui as an unprecedented injustice driven by international politics. The movement seeks to amplify these concerns on a global stage in hopes of securing her early release.