Islamabad:

Islamabad High Court (IHC) was informed on Friday that a proposal was flowing by the US lawyer in Dr. Aafia Siddiqui on hand over Shakeel Afridi to the United States about the release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui with was not useful as there was no agreement between two countries to exchange prisoners.

Further Attorney General Munawwar Iqbal Duggal also told IHC that the government relied on from supporting a court’s petition in an American court for her release, referring to reservations at some points included in the draft.

IHC Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan heard the petition for the release and return of Dr. Siddiqui. During the hearing, the court asked about the case of Shakeel Afridi. The court was informed that Afridi was a convicted person and his appeal was pending in Peshawar High Court (PHC).

Duggal said that US lawyer Clive Smith’s proposal to extradite Afridi in exchange for the release of Dr. Siddiqui was not usable. He added that both were Pakistani citizens and that there was no prisoner exchange treaty between Pakistan and the United States.

Duggal also highlighted the government’s reservations to an appeal filed with a US court of Dr. Siddiqui. The court expressed surprise at the government’s withdrawal of support and gave the extra legal lawyer a week to inform it about the objections.