Pakistan’s PM Discusses Aafia Siddiqui Case With Us Ambassador

During a meeting in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raised concerns about Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s prolonged incarceration in the United States, where she has been imprisoned for nearly two decades on terrorism charges. The discussion took place as part of a courtesy call with US Ambassador Donald Blome.

Dr. Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, was implicated in alleged ties to Al Qaeda and subsequently arrested by US authorities. She was convicted in 2010 for attempting to harm US soldiers in Afghanistan and is currently serving an 86-year sentence at a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas.

Read more: Aafia Siddiqui Faces Sexual Assault in US Detention, Lawyer Confirms

In addition to Siddiqui’s case, Prime Minister Sharif and Ambassador Blome addressed various topics of mutual interest. Sharif expressed contentment with the current state of Pakistan-US relations and emphasized the importance of sustaining positive momentum through strengthened dialogues and increased cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, investment, energy, health, defense, education, agriculture, and climate change.

Sharif outlined his government’s focus on implementing macro-economic reforms to stabilize Pakistan’s economy and attract foreign investment, highlighting the establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to expedite foreign investments in key sectors.

The meeting also touched upon bilateral and regional issues, including the situation in Gaza, developments in the Red Sea region, and the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.

Ambassador Blome congratulated Prime Minister Sharif on his re-election and reiterated the United States’ view of Pakistan as a significant partner. He expressed the US’s commitment to collaborating with the Pakistani government to strengthen bilateral ties further.