At the Federal Medical Center, Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, the sisters met.
The glass barrier kept the two sisters apart for the duration of the 2.5-hour meeting. Dr. Aafia Siddiqui told her sister about how the US government had treated her. Dr. Fauzia gave her details about Dr. Aafia’s children, but the US government forbade her from showing her any of their photos. Her son is now an adult; at the time of Dr. Aafia’s arrest, he was only six months old; her daughter is now a doctor. Dr. Aafia is anticipated to meet with Dr. Fauzia, Senator Mushtaq, and Dr. Aafia’s American attorney, Clive Smith, once more today to explore potential next steps for Dr. Aafia’s release. Dr. Aafia is currently receiving therapy in a federal medical prison in the state of Texas, which provides specific medical and mental health services for female inmates.
The Pakistani national was found guilty by a federal court in New York in 2010 of attempted murder and other crimes, and she is currently serving an 86-year term there.
Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui was given a US visa on May 8, allowing her to visit her sister who is in jail in the US. This information was provided to the Islamabad High Court on May 8.
The court was told of the situation by Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Dogar during a hearing on Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s release. The government has been instructed by the court to arrange for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui to get an independent psychiatric evaluation, to give her lawyer, Clive Smith, access to any case-related paperwork, and to make sure that the information is not utilized for any other purposes aside from those directly relevant to the case.
