Foreign Office Spokesperson Muhammad Faisal on Thursday said that his comments regarding Aafia Siddiqui were misreported by the Pakistani media.
Muhammad Faisal clarified on Thursday that media reports were misreported and not accurate.
“We are in touch with Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s family and we will continue our efforts to bring her back. This is yet another instance that forces us to reiterate the importance of responsible journalism,” Faisal said.
He stressed that Pakistan’s stance on the issue of Dr Aafia Siddiqui and Dr Shakeel Afridi remains unchanged.
According to several media reports on Wednesday, Faisal said this during an interview with British newspaper The Independent’s Urdu wing. He said that the government of Pakistan was looking for prospects of Siddiqui’s return, but according to reports, she was not willing to return to the country.
He added that the only way Dr Aafia could possibly return to Pakistan was if Prime Minister Imran Khan and US President Donald Trump met. In that case, “the exchange of Aafia Siddiqui for Shakeel Afridi could come under discussion,” he added.
However, Dr Aafia’s sister has contested FO Spokesperson’s ‘claims’.
“If anyone says that Aafia Siddiqui does not want to return to Pakistan, it’s completed untrue,” Dr Fouzia told Independent Urdu, adding that “at one point it had seemed as if Aafia was going to come to Pakistan any moment.”
She also revealed that Aafia was ‘ready to sign any document’ to get out of jail and return to her country.
Muhammad Faisal clarified on Thursday that media reports were misreported and not accurate.
“We are in touch with Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s family and we will continue our efforts to bring her back. This is yet another instance that forces us to reiterate the importance of responsible journalism,” Faisal said.
He stressed that Pakistan’s stance on the issue of Dr Aafia Siddiqui and Dr Shakeel Afridi remains unchanged.
According to several media reports on Wednesday, Faisal said this during an interview with British newspaper The Independent’s Urdu wing. He said that the government of Pakistan was looking for prospects of Siddiqui’s return, but according to reports, she was not willing to return to the country.
He added that the only way Dr Aafia could possibly return to Pakistan was if Prime Minister Imran Khan and US President Donald Trump met. In that case, “the exchange of Aafia Siddiqui for Shakeel Afridi could come under discussion,” he added.
However, Dr Aafia’s sister has contested FO Spokesperson’s ‘claims’.
“If anyone says that Aafia Siddiqui does not want to return to Pakistan, it’s completed untrue,” Dr Fouzia told Independent Urdu, adding that “at one point it had seemed as if Aafia was going to come to Pakistan any moment.”
She also revealed that Aafia was ‘ready to sign any document’ to get out of jail and return to her country.