"Dr Aafia's arrest beyond even Hollywood scriptwriter's wildest dreams"

Islamabad, Oct 29 : A British journalist has said that the situation in which Pakistani neuroscientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui was shot at and arrested by American military men could not have even been visualized by a Hollywood scriptwriter.

The journalist also deplored the circumstances in which Dr Aafia was arrested after she allegedly "attacked two armed US soldiers in Kabul".

Yvonne Ridley, a British journalist and peace activist, said that it was further deplorable that the Pakistani woman was still in the hands of her abusers.

"I find it deplorable that having been shot by the American military in a scenario that even a Hollywood script writer would find difficult to concoct ... Dr Aafia is now in the hands of her abusers. She has been continuously abused over the five-year period since she and her children were 'kidnapped'," the Daily Times quoted her as saying while addressing a press conference along with cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan..

"This is not the way to treat a victim ... you do not return a victim to her tormentors," she said.

Calling on the Pakistan Government to demand her release from the US prison, Yvonne said: "The retired general (Musharraf) is now out of office, but what is the new man (Zardari) doing to liberate our sisters?"

Describing the US administration as liars, she even contradicted American authorities' claim that "Prisoner No 65 Dr Aafia" was being repatriated to her home country. "I can tell you categorically Prisoner 650 is not Dr Aafia," said Ridley.

Ridley also alleged that the Pakistani military had 'played a part' in this shocking episode.

ANI