By By Our Correspondent
THE Lahore High Court has been informed that Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s case cannot be taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) without the consent of America and Afghanistan.
A deputy attorney general, appearing on behalf of the Interior Ministry, said this on Tuesday in reply to a petition, filed by Barrister Iqbal Jafferry, seeking the court’s directions for invoking jurisdiction of the ICJ for recovery of Dr Aafia from the US detention.
The petitioner’s lawyer insisted that there was no need to get the consent of the US or Afghanistan as there was a treaty which allowed Pakistan to move the ICJ on its own.
However, the court adjourned hearing till October 30 and asked the petitioner to file his written reply in this regard.
Dr Aafia was reportedly arrested from Karachi on March 30, 2003, from outside her house to be taken to Afghanistan.
Later, she was transported to the US, where she was being tried under terrorism charges for attempting to kill two American investigators.
Two of her American national children were still missing while one of her child had been handed over to her sister by the Interior Ministry.