Shehbaz Sharif Reassures Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s Sister of Continued Support Amid Prison Abuse Reports

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again pledged his government’s full support for Dr Aafia Siddiqui, the Pakistani neuroscientist serving an 86-year sentence in a US prison.

Meeting Dr Aafia’s sister, Dr Fouzia Siddiqui, on Friday, the premier stressed that the government was not negligent in her case and would use all available diplomatic channels to assist the family.

Dr Aafia was arrested in Afghanistan in 2008 and later convicted by a US court for alleged attempted murder of US officials—charges she vehemently denied. Her 2010 sentencing sparked outrage across Pakistan, with many viewing the case as a miscarriage of justice.

Shehbaz Sharif previously wrote to former US President Joe Biden seeking clemency for Dr Aafia, but the request was declined. A committee led by Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has since been formed to oversee efforts and remain in touch with Dr Fouzia for further action.

The meeting comes amid disturbing revelations by Clive Stafford Smith, Dr Aafia’s US-based human rights lawyer, who in 2024 alleged ongoing sexual harassment and physical abuse of Dr Aafia inside the Fort Worth prison in Texas.

“She was raped by a security guard as punishment just weeks ago,” Smith revealed last year, adding that she remains in a constant state of vulnerability and fear.

The Prime Minister assured Dr Fouzia that Pakistan will not abandon her sister, reaffirming that her case is a priority for the government and remains on the country’s diplomatic agenda with Washington.