Dr Aafia's sister fears US security agencies might kill her

Karachi, Aug 13 : Pakistani-American "terror suspect" Dr Aafia Siddiqui's sister Dr Fouzia Siddiqui has said that she feared that the US security personnel might kill her in custody, in the same way as they had earlier killed one Saud Memon before he could be produced in court.

Fouzia also accused the Pakistan government of being hands-in-glove with the US administration in handing over her sister to the latter. "Without the active help of Pakistani agencies it would not have been possible to move her sister outside Pakistani territory," she said and added that if Dr Aafia were involved in any criminal activity, her trial should be held in her home country Pakistan.

Aafia is presently facing a trial in New York after being extradited from Kabul, where she was allegedly arrested earlier this week while loitering under suspicious circumstances outside the House of a Governor.

Addressing a second press conference at the Karachi Press Club here on Tuesday, Dr Fouzia said that her sister was produced before court while being escorted by US soldiers and agency personnel and her condition showed that she was not being provided medical treatment. She added that her sister's kidneys were not working, but the US government did not carry out any medical checkup.

Dr Aafia appeared before court in a wheelchair and she could not even stand due to her festering wounds, the Daily Times quoted her as saying.

Dr Fouzia said that her sister's only mistake was that she wore a head scarf and offered prayers five times a day and the US did not like it. She accused the Pakistani security agencies of being fully involved in handing over Dr Aafia to the Americans.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Human Rights Commission's Khalid Khawaja said that he had repeatedly telephoned Pakistani Ambassador in the US Hussain Haqqani and requested him to ask the US government to provide Dr Aafia medical facilities and other human rights, and added that the US authorities did not pay any attention towards Pakistanis' sentiments.

ANI