Afia Siddiqui sentenced to 86 years

[mehru]

Pakistan needs to sign two accords for Aafia’s repatriation | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

 

[Ahmad]

what are these 2 treaties about? got no knowledge of it.

 

[Durran3]

a women is being victim of US ego.
all the accusations on her are un realistic.
and because US says she is terrorist.... we agree on this gospel


I ask you if story narrated by americans is at all true.... is it justice to sentence 86 years for attempted murder???????????????????????

Absolute BS..

One can only guess how many slogans we have heard over these past two years about an Al Qaeda operative and a disgraced Pakistani American scientist, Dr Aafia Siddiqui. The name “Aafia” has been a coveted logo in Pakistan where the public – including all political parties, conspiracy theorists, religious elements and activists – have exploited it to foster their interests and for political point scoring.

The same logo has created such hysteria that it has not only occupied the electronic media, blogs and newspapers but in fact Aafia has become an important celebrity on Facebook. She has become a subject of foreign diplomatic missions and negotiations all at the expense of the average Pakistani’s taxes.

So why shed tears over a racist who has expressed serious reservations against Jews all along, has married a terrorist Amir Al Balochi (nephew of the 9/11 planner), involved in transferring large sums of money to mysterious accounts of Saudi nationals, bought night goggles, body armour and military manuals and pleaded her uncle Shams ul-Hassan Faruqi to hand her over to the Taliban in Afghanistan?

Why has her case got preference over those of thousands of other women who have been killed by the Taliban, abducted by the Pakistan Army or have been victims of corporal punishments, brutal sexual harassments, domestic violence, arson, torture or kidnappings?

If the mass hysteria for Aafia Siddiqui is justified then why did we not see the same response in the cases of two other Pakistani women?

These women, Zarina Mari and Dr Shazia Khalid, are unknown compared to Aafia Siddique who even has her own tribute video released by Al Qaeda’s official media wing As-Sahab.
Zarina Mari, similar to Aafia Siddiqui, was also allegedly abducted by the army from Balochistan in 2005 and is believed to be held in captivity.

Dr Shazia Khalid, a medical doctor, was allegedly beaten and raped by an army officer at Sui Hospital in 2005. She was then put under house arrest and was denied access to lawyers, doctors and human right officials of her choice. She later left Pakistan with her family after repeated threats to her life.
Why are Zarina and Shazia, like Aafia, not called the “Daughters” of Pakistan by its hyperbolic media, Imran khan, Jamate Islami etc. None have voiced their concerns about these women like they did for Aafia Siddiqui.

The reason is quite simple and it is not that Pakistanis genuinely care about Aafia or any other women for that matter. They don’t give a penny’s worth of worry about oppression and torture of women in extra judicial detentions. Fortunately for Aafia, she was arrested by the United States of America. This is the core reason why we have witnessed the massive difference of reaction among the Pakistani media, political parties and public. Because America is despised by the Pakistani masses, the anti American opinions attached to Aafia’s name render it highly valuable as a tool for instigating and exacerbating these negative sentiments to gain points with the masses.

The elements in Pakistan who choose to stay silent on Zarina Mari’s issue but not on Aafia Siddiqui’s case are not expressing concerns about her detention or abuse by the US. They are exploiting this case to express their political hatred against the US and to score points with the public.
Now Aafia has been sentenced to 86 years imprisonment which I think is harsh. Considering the charges she faced, a 30 years sentence seems more appropriate. But she should be reckoned as a prisoner and the public should have no sympathy for her.

In my opinion it is also wrong to call her the ‘Daughter of Pakistan’ as she has done no good for the country. Instead Angelina Jolie is a more suitable candidate for this title as she has done what most Pakistanis never have – she donated $100,000 in the cause of the floods and diverted the attention of the entire world to Pakistan for their donations and aid by going through the trouble and inconvenience of visiting the affected areas herself.


http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/1840/unwarranted-hysteria-for-the-daughter-of-pakistan/

 

[fawwaxs]

Aafia Siddiqui is innocent: Farooq Sattar

KARACHI: Muttahaida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Farooq Sattar on Sunday said that Dr Aafia Siddiqui is innocent and demanded that the United States release her.

Sattar was speaking to the media after visiting Dr Aafia’s house. He said that the MQM strongly condemned the sentencing of Dr Aafia and that they will leave ‘no stone unturned’ to bring her back. He also said that the pain that Dr Aafia has gone through is also felt by the nation and not her family.

He demanded that the Obama administration should take back the case and release her immediately.

Earlier, MQM Chief Altaf Hussain had called on the US to withdraw the sentence and release Dr Aafia.

Various voices in Pakistan have criticised and sympathised with Dr Aafia since the sentence.

 

[Durran3]

Aafia Siddiqui is innocent: Farooq Sattar

KARACHI: Muttahaida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Farooq Sattar on Sunday said that Dr Aafia Siddiqui is innocent and demanded that the United States release her.

Sattar was speaking to the media after visiting Dr Aafia’s house. He said that the MQM strongly condemned the sentencing of Dr Aafia and that they will leave ‘no stone unturned’ to bring her back. He also said that the pain that Dr Aafia has gone through is also felt by the nation and not her family.

He demanded that the Obama administration should take back the case and release her immediately.

Earlier, MQM Chief Altaf Hussain had called on the US to withdraw the sentence and release Dr Aafia.

Various voices in Pakistan have criticised and sympathised with Dr Aafia since the sentence.

Really? We should now believe what MQM has to say?

Lets not forget that MQM is a Political Party and all political parties are trying to get Brownie Points by making Afia some kind of a Pakistani Symbol (God Forbid if she becomes one). Political parties will always support no matter how bad the justification and reality that which the illiterate masses want to hear not what they need to here.

 

[fawwaxs]

Condemning Aafia Siddiqui's verdict

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Condemning Aafia Siddiqui's verdict

someone help me to understand .. how does destroying public proerty, disrupting peace, throwing stones on passing cars & buring tires in the middle of roads will help in forcing Americans to re-consider their sentence on the "Daughter of the east"

 

[mjnaushad]

someone help me to understand .. how does destroying public proerty, disrupting peace, throwing stones on passing cars & buring tires in the middle of roads will help in forcing Americans to re-consider their sentence on the "Daughter of the east"

It will help in big way.....Not in re-considering teh sentence but in boosting vote bank of some munawar hassan type politicians.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

and what do you have to offer, troll

 

[DGMO]

If only these people cared to protest with such vigour when hearing that the Prime Minister and 25 of his ministers don't pay any income tax, or in response to the countless corruption stories reported on a daily basis, or other domestic injustices, we might be in a slightly better position as a nation.

But no, anything to bash the US brings these people on to the street. Aafia is secondary, the hatred of the US is the primary cause.

The hypocrisy and ignorance is beyond belief.

 

[fawwaxs]

Beyond Aafia

For seven years now, Aafia Siddiqui’s case has remained shrouded in mystery, the ghost of Bargram has haunted Pakistan ever since. From her disappearance in Karachi to her arrest at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan and throughout her trial, Siddiqui’s case has been most peculiar. On September 23, 2010 Siddiqui was sentenced to 86 years of imprisonment by a US Federal Court in New York, after being convicted of firing at US troops at Bagram during custody.

Over the years, Siddiqui’s case has been used by religious and political parties for point scoring and to gain public sympathy. Soon after the verdict, the Pakistan government said it would write a petition Washington to secure her repatriation on humanitarian grounds. It can not be denied that the charges appear dubious, keeping in mind that her alleged association with al Qaeda has been on the forefront, with a considerable number of media outlets dubbing her as “Lady al Qaeda” even before her trial began. It is then strange that she was tried in court for “firing at US soldiers” instead of her alleged links and contacts with the al Qaeda. Although this does make the accusations of her links to terrorist networks murky, but is not sufficient to prove her innocence. As expected, the sentence has caused uproar and anger in Pakistan, provoking protests from religious and political parties. Yet another protest has been planned for September 28 by one of the leading political parties in Karachi, the MQM. It is tragic that even secular parties like the MQM have hopped on to the bandwagon. Ironically, religious parties like Jamaat-i-Islami who have for years supported laws like the Hudood Ordinance, have now become the upholders of women’s rights.

That said and done, one can not deny that Siddiqui has possibly become emotionally unstable and, there have been rumours that Siddiqui was being kept in a secret prison. Needless to say her story is that of tragedy, pain and agony.

However she is not alone. Hundreds of women in Pakistan face severe torture, abuse and are raped in police custody. In July 2008, a 17-year-old girl was abducted by police officials in Faisalabad, and kept in private custody for 16 days, where she was raped and tortured to confess her involvement in the murder of her fiance. But it did not end there; her elder sister was also brought into police custody in order to pressurize her younger sister to confess to the alleged crime. The details, according to the Asian Human Rights Report, are extremely disturbing and very graphic. While in police custody, she was twice raped by a sub inspector, however no action has been taken by the government to prosecute the sub inspector.

Several human rights organisations have reported incidents of people being tortured while in police custody, using methods such as “beating with batons and whips, burning with cigarettes, whipping soles of the feet, prolonged isolation, electric shock, denial of food or sleep ….”

While we raise our concerns of the torture and abuse in jails in the US, our silence on abuse in jails within our country is nothing short of hypocrisy. It is only fair that the government, political and religious parties and most importantly, the people raise their voice against injustices within our country just as much as we do against those committed abroad. Siddiqui’s case has received immense media attention, while thousands of stories of sexual abuse, **** and torture within our own country remain unheard. After all, the ghosts of our prisoners should haunt us just as much as the ghosts of Bargram, Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib do.

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Beyond Aafia

For seven years now, Aafia Siddiqui’s case has remained shrouded in mystery, the ghost of Bargram has haunted Pakistan ever since. From her disappearance in Karachi to her arrest at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan and throughout her trial, Siddiqui’s case has been most peculiar.....................

you know what? there is a new politician in the making. she is in every press conference sitting in the front. Talking like a pro. Answering questions with ease & confidence of a season politician. I am talking about the sister of Dr Afia
I am sure she is going to join politics, most likely Jamiat Islami or PTI.

One can tell when she is talking like a machine gun in a “grieved” voice. Not even the crocodile shedding politicians flanking her can match her style. I am getting so sick of her sound and her rants that I wonder. Is she really that grief stricken? Who has lost a sister to American “injustice” that she wont loose any forum or media opportunity? Talking tirelessly while sounding grieved but no traces of any tears? It is true that eyes never lie.
She is very much part of the Dr Afia fan-club Merchandise. If it was the west I am sure they would have been wearing Dr Afia Shirt, hair or arm bands.

Oh by the way. Does any one know the name of that poor woman who got stoned to death in Orakzai by the savage Taliban? No living being deserves to die like that.

 

[DGMO]

Oh by the way. Does any one know the name of that poor woman who got stoned to death in Orakzai by the savage Taliban? No living being deserves to die like that.

And don't expect these protesters to march for her.

But if the Americans did it to her then...

 

[niaz]

I for one don’t believe that Dr Afia Siddiqui is innocent. In my book just the fact that she divorced her first husband and married a well-known terrorist proves that she is a diehard terrorist sympathizer, if not a terrorist herself. Any one who claims that she is totally innocent is either a Taliban lover or being blinded by his hate for the US and has forsaken rational thinking. Nevertheless Dr Afia Siddiqui is a victim and has already suffered enough.

On the other hand, IMO 9/11 has affected US psyche to such an extent that the Judge and the Jury have also taken leave of their senses. Pray tell me what is point of sentencing any one for 86 years? Are they trying to make an example of the women?

No matter how dangerous, Dr Afia is certainly no Mulla Omer, Osama bin Laden or Al Zwahari. Don’t they realize that by doing so they are in fact creating a martyr? On purely humanitarian grounds she should have been sentenced to say 5 years and later allowed to return to Pakistan on the condition that she would not indulge in any additional anti US activities.

Whereas in Pakistan, all political parties including the PPP are tying to exploit the sympathy Pakistani public is displaying for Dr Afia. None wants to be left behind.
Pakistan is on the verge of economic collapse and millions of flood victims need to be rehabilitated, but all that is on the backburner; as if nothing else matters except Dr Afia Siddiqui.

I feel sorry for the poor women, whether actual terrorist or not, she has been used by everyone from Al Quaeda, ISI, PPP, MQM, Pak Media as well as religious parties for their own agenda and for different reasons