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| India-Pakistan |
| LHC disposes of petition regarding Dr Aafia Siddiqui |
| 2010-08-03 |
| Lahore High Court Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry on Monday disposed of a petition seeking directions for the initiation of contempt of court proceedings against officials of the Foreign Ministry for failing to write a letter to a US judge who is conducting the trial of Pakistani national Dr Aafia Siddiqui. The judge held that that there was no need of the court's directions, as departments concerned had no tangible evidence in order to prove the innocence of Dr Aafia before the US court. He remarked that the petitioner, Barrister Javed Iqbal Geoffrey, could write the letter and provide evidence, if he had any, to the US District Court in his personal capacity. On Monday, the interior secretary appeared in court and submitted that the government had no documentary evidence regarding Dr Aafia and her children's abduction from Karachi. He said Aafia's son was also questioned about their abduction but he was unable to substantiate the presumption of their kidnapping from Pakistan. The interior secretary said police had also failed to collect any evidence in this regard during the course of investigation. He said an official letter along with press clippings of the facts about the case of Dr Aafia had been sent to the Pakistani ambassador in the US, who would deliver it to the US State Department and the trial court, which was going to announce its verdict in Aafia's trial on August 16. |
| Posted by:Fred |