Pakistan government making serious efforts to bring Dr Aafia back home, PM's aide says

ISLAMABAD: The government is making serious efforts to bring back Dr Aafia Siddiqui, says Adviser to the PM on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan.

He had a meeting with the Pakistani neuroscientist's sister Fauzia Siddiqui on Monday to update her over the progress made in Dr Aafia's case.

The Pakistani neuroscientist is jailed in the US. She was indicted by a New York federal district court in September 2008 on charges of attempted murder and assault. She denies these charges.

Dr Aafia was tried and convicted in early 2010 after 18 months in detention. The US sentenced her to 86 years in prison.

Awan hoped US president-elect Joe Biden would be able to help make Dr Aafia return possible.

He spoke about Pakistani prisoners abroad, saying Prime Minister Imran Khan had so far brought 5,000 prisoners back home.

Addressing the problems of Pakistanis abroad is one of the PTI government’s top priorities, the PM's aide said.

He called the imprisonment of Dr Aafia a big human rights violation and said the matter will be taken up in the Senate by the foreign ministry.