Dr Afia’s conviction deferred on Pak govt’s advice
August 17, 2010
Daily Times
RAWALPINDI: US court hearing Dr Afia Siddiqui’s case has postponed her conviction from the scheduled August 16 to September 23, following advice from the Pakistan government, which argued that the verdict in the holy month of Ramazan might provoke a national movement, claimed Dr Fouzia Siddiqui, the detained Pakistani scientist’s sister.
Dr Fouzia was speaking at a ceremony at Rawalpindi District Bar Association held to receive a convoy of lawyers and civil society representatives, which walked from Lahore to Rawalpindi as a part of a campaign for early release of Dr Afia and other missing persons. Advocate Syed Azhar Hussain Shah led the march. Other participants included Dr Fouzia Siddiqui, Chairperson of Defence of Human Rights (DHR) Amna Masood Janjua, Anila Cheema, Afshan Akram, Hamid Hussain Chaudhry, Imran Yousaf, Sami Qureshi, Mehwish Basharat and Tanveer Fatima represented the legal fraternity, while the representatives of civil society included Mazhar Shah, Bilal, Kashir, Shafiq, Adeel and Robina Mahpara. A large number of lawyers were present on the occasion.
Dr Fouzia said that the Americans have deprived her sister of a copy of the holy Quran and her headscarf before the arrival of Ramazan to prevent her form praying during the holy month. She called on Pakistan’s ambassador to US Husain Haqqani to play his role in returning the holy Quran and scarf to her sister.
