The White House has received a clemency petition for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui. Siddiqui is a Pakistani neuroscientist who is currently serving an 86-year prison sentence in the United States.
Before his term ends on January 20, 2025, supporters are pleading with President Joe Biden to release her on humanitarian grounds.
Pakistani Delegation Advocates for Release
A delegation from Pakistan, led by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, visited the United States to press for Siddiqui’s release. The group included Senator Talha Mehmood and psychiatrist Dr. Iqbal Afridi. Acting on instructions from the Islamabad High Court, they met with several US lawmakers and officials, including Congressman Jim McGovern, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat born in Karachi.
Elizabeth Horst, the principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, was given an update by the delegation on Siddiqui’s case. They discussed legal options during these discussions and emphasised how urgent it is to grant clemency.
Meeting Dr. Aafia Siddiqui
The delegation visited Dr. Siddiqui at her detention facility, the Federal Medical Centre in Fort Worth, Texas. Senator Talha Mehmood described their three-hour meeting to be “encouraging.”
“President Biden has over 60 pardon requests on his desk, including Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s. We are hopeful that her case will be prioritised and that the president will consider it with compassion,” he added.
Efforts from Pakistan’s Leadership
The delegation’s efforts are part of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s larger diplomatic campaign. In an October 2024 letter to President Biden, Sharif pleaded for Siddiqui’s clemency because of her deteriorating health.
In his letter, Sharif stated, “I urgently request you to exercise your authority as the leader of the United States to grant clemency to Aafia Siddiqui and secure her release on compassionate grounds.”
Siddiqui’s Background
Born in Karachi, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui moved to the US in 1990 on a student visa, earning a doctorate in neuroscience from Brandeis University. Allegations of her links to Al Qaeda surfaced in 2003 after the capture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, her second husband’s uncle and a key figure in the 9/11 attacks.
In 2008, she was caught in Afghanistan with documents mentioning US landmarks and cyanide, according to reports. Siddiqui was found guilty in 2010 and given an 86-year sentence after it was alleged that she attempted to seize a US officer’s rifle while being questioned. However, many people in Pakistan see her as a victim of injustice.
A Complicated Path Forward
A South Asia expert. Michael Kugelman, highlighted the political complexities, tweeting: “Could we see Imran Khan supporters call on the incoming Trump administration to propose to Pakistan an Imran Khan/Aafia Siddiqui release deal?”
The request for clemency is a major diplomatic effort to get Dr Siddiqui released. As President Biden’s term draws to a close, her supporters are still holding out hope for a kind ruling. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed,” said one member of the Pakistani-American community.
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