Clive Stafford Smith, the American lawyer representing Pakistani neuroscientist Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, is set to visit Pakistan to attend a hearing regarding her release and repatriation.
During proceedings at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday, Siddiqui’s local counsel, Imran Shafique, informed the bench that Smith would arrive in Pakistan on May 4.
Shafique requested that the court postpone the current hearing and reschedule it for May 6 to allow consultation with the visiting lawyer.
Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan, who presided over the session, sought the government’s stance on the request. The law officer stated there was no objection, and the court accepted the appeal, adjourning the case until May 6.
The court also noted the absence of Additional Attorney General Umar Aslam from the hearing.
Previously, the federal government had dismissed a proposed exchange of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui for Dr. Shakil Afridi, who was convicted of aiding the CIA in tracking Osama bin Laden.
Dr. Siddiqui, born in Karachi in 1972, holds a PhD from Brandeis University. She was arrested in 2008 in Afghanistan and is currently serving an 86-year sentence in the United States for attempted murder.
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