IHC adjourns Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s case till next week

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday adjourned hearing till one week in a case pertaining to release and extradition of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui who is imprisoned in the United States.

Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan heard the case wherein Aafia Siddiqui’s lawyer in the US, Clive Smith, appeared and said that her client is being treated badly in the US prison. Lawyer Imran Shafiq said that the federal government had a separate request that the purpose of the petition be fulfilled and now it should be disposed of. “We have filed a separate request for permission to amend the petition. In the 26th Amendment, it is written that relief will be given as per the request.”

Fauzia Siddiqui’s lawyer took the position that more than one request had been made in the petition and the purpose has not been fulfilled yet. Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan remarked, “You can file a new application by referring to these grounds.”

Imran Shafiq Advocate said, “If we file a new application, it will be sent to another bench,” adding that a miscellaneous application was filed with the aim of removing the case from this court. The lawyer said that if this court makes an interim order to approve the miscellaneous application, it can be challenged in the Supreme Court.

Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq remarked that in some other cases, intra-court appeals against interim orders were heard and a stay was also granted. The lawyer said that the application also contains a request that the court can grant any relief if it deems appropriate.

Judicial Assistant Zainab Janjua said that the High Court had the authority to grant relief according to the contents and circumstances of the application. The court adjourned the hearing of the case until next week.