The two sisters, Dr Aafia Siddiqui and Dr Fauzia Siddiqui, recently met at the Federal Medical Center, Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas. They had a two-and-a-half-hour meeting, but they were kept separated by a glass partition. Dr Aafia informed her sister about her treatment by the US authorities. However, the US authorities did not allow Dr Fauzia to show her pictures of Dr Aafia’s children.
Dr Aafia’s son, who was just six months old at the time of her arrest, is now an adult. Her daughter has become a doctor. Dr Fauzia, Senator Mushtaq, and Dr Aafia’s American lawyer, Clive Smith, who are working towards her release, are expected to meet with Dr Aafia again today to discuss further steps.
Dr Aafia is currently receiving medical treatment at a federal medical prison in Texas. Women prisoners in this facility receive special medical and mental health care.
She is serving an 86-year sentence in the US after being convicted of attempted murder and other charges by a federal court in New York in 2010.
On May 8, it was announced that Dr Fauzia Siddiqui has been granted a US visa, allowing her to meet her incarcerated sister in the US. This development was shared with the Islamabad High Court during a hearing regarding Dr Aafia’s release.
The court has instructed the government to arrange an independent psychiatric evaluation for Dr Aafia Siddiqui. They have also ordered the sharing of all documents and information related to her case with her lawyer, Clive Smith, ensuring that this information is not used for any purposes beyond the scope of the case.
