FCC Halts IHC Contempt Proceedings Against PM, Cabinet in Dr Aafia Case

The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has stopped the Islamabad High Court (IHC) from initiating contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and federal ministers over the Dr Aafia Siddiqui case. The court also adjourned hearings in the related case of Dr Fauzia Siddiqui, Dr Aafia’s sister, and issued notices to all parties involved. The proceedings stemmed from the IHC’s July 21 order asking the government to justify why it had not assisted a US court reviewing Dr Aafia’s case.

The federal government argued that reopening the matter would exceed judicial authority and violate the finality of decided cases, emphasizing that the issue involves foreign policy and international law. Officials highlighted prior efforts, including a letter from PM Shehbaz to the US President requesting clemency in October 2024 and a high-level delegation sent to negotiate prisoner transfer agreements, which the US authorities rejected. The government also sought permission to amend its petition and nullify the IHC’s May 16, 2025 order.

Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, is serving an 86-year sentence in the US for attempted murder, far exceeding the US legal maximum of 10 years for the charge. She has spent 16 years in prison and has been separated from her children for over two decades. While two of her children, Ahmed and Maryam, were released in 2008 and 2010, the whereabouts of her son Sulaiman remain unknown, keeping the case a continuing focus of public and diplomatic attention.