Aafia can return if Pakistan signs deal on prisoners swap

ISLAMABAD: The US contacted the Government of Pakistan a number of times for the repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui to the country, but never received any response, US diplomatic sources said.
The sources said Dr Aafia could be repatriated if Pakistan signed the international prisoners agreement for exchange of the neuroscientist.
According to a private TV channel, the US diplomatic sources said the Government of Pakistan was contacted after the jury’s verdict in February 2010 that the repatriation of Dr Aafia to Pakistan was possible, if Pakistan signed the world agreement for prisoners exchange. “Pakistan did not respond to resolve the issue,” they added.

It is worth mentioning that a US delegate that had arrived in Pakistan for the strategic dialogue in July had also indicated that Dr Aafia could be repatriated to Pakistan. The sources said if Dr Aafia was not repatriated in the future, the Government of Pakistan would be responsible for it.

When contacted, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the government had made best efforts to get Dr Aafia back from the US detention. “The Foreign Office is responsible for signing any agreement regarding the exchange of prisoners,” he added.