The federal government of Pakistan informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that it will not become a party in the Aafia Siddiqui case in the United States, prompting the court to request an explanation.
Justice Sardar Ijaz presided over the hearing on the petition concerning Dr. Siddiqui’s health and repatriation, during which petitioner’s counsel Imran Shafiq, the Additional Attorney General, and other officials appeared before the court.
During the proceedings, the Additional Attorney General stated that the government had decided not to take part in the case in the US. In response, Justice Ijaz questioned, “Why was this decision made? What are the reasons behind it?” The Additional Attorney General replied, “This is the government’s decision.”
Justice Ijaz remarked that any decision made by the government or the Attorney General must be backed by reasons. “This is a constitutional court; decisions cannot be presented without justification,” he said.
The court then instructed the Additional Attorney General to provide the government’s reasoning at the next hearing, scheduled for July 4.
