By By our correspondent
Dr Fouzia Siddiqui, sister of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, expressed shock over the ruling of Judge Berman in which he ordered the transfer of Aafia to Carswell Psychiatric Centre in Fort-Worth, Texas for psychiatric evaluation along with a ‘Use of Force Order’.
In a hurriedly called press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday, Fouzia said that her sister detained by the US authorities was already diagnosed with ‘Chronic Depressive Psychosis,’ which is understandable under the circumstances in which she has endured horrific mental and physical abuse. “This diagnosis was a beacon of hope for the family as it meant that Aafia will get the required treatment and will eventually be freed or repatriated to Pakistan,” said Fouzia. She added that the transfer of Aafia to this notorious horror centre means even worse abuse and solitary incarceration for an unlimited period without further due process and without further trial.
“There is no justification against Aafia to keep her in prison anymore, this is a new tactic of the US government to keep her in detention under the pretext of psychiatric evaluation, which is commonly used against inmates when government lacks evidence for holding them,” explained Fouzia. “The question arises as why the prosecution is so keen for her psychiatric/ mental evaluation?” She has already been diagnosed by American doctors and was supposed to be followed by requisite treatment, she added. “Is this evaluation just a pretext to affect her memory and bring it in line with something they have concocted about the past five years?”
Fouzia urged for the best treatment and care for Aafia. She also advocated for Aafia’s immediate repatriation in order for her to acquire a sense of security that she has been deprived for so long. It will raise the morale of our nation and strengthen our democratic claims.
She thanked the current Government of Pakistan for all its cooperation in this regard but said that the Siddiqui family needs an official pledge of financial assistance for a legal team of their choice. So that they can start a vigorous defence while the repatriation is in process. “I fear Aafia may not have long to live,” she lamented. Fouzia says that her sister’s salvation lies not in locking her in a psychiatric institute, putting her through dehumanising strip searches, chaining her to beds, floor hooks or walls, rather, she should be reunited with her family.
“It seems that these “intelligence” or “investigative” agencies have been scheming to sculpt a story in the international media to show that she is mentally unfit and whatever she says now can be easily dismissed as the ravings of a lunatic. If they are successful then the horrors that Aafia, her children, and many others have been put through will go un-noticed,” she said.
“The struggle to have Aafia’s true story told and her health improved is the duty of everyone who believes in human dignity,” she said. The torture now is sophisticated, invisible, subliminal and mental. For example, she was shown a glimpse of her brother and then no more. She was given hope to call her family but it was delayed and eventually taken away. This is completely unnecessary, uncivil and out of order. We believe that a competency examination of Aafia should not be undertaken until she is treated for her obviously incapacitating mental illness and healing of gunshot wounds.
The current Pakistan government has assured the family that they have already approached the US authorities officially and expressed the hope that Aafia will be repatriated. Iqbal Haider of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan was also present on the occasion.