Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formally requested the United States government to pardon Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and secure her release in a letter addressed to President Joe Biden.
Dr. Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, is currently serving an 86-year sentence at the Federal Medical Center in Carswell, Texas.
In his correspondence, PM Sharif highlighted that Dr. Siddiqui, now 52, has spent nearly sixteen years incarcerated in the U.S.
The Prime Minister also pointed out that multiple Pakistani officials have visited Dr. Siddiqui in prison over the years, raising serious concerns about her treatment.
He indicated that there are alarming fears for her safety, with suggestions that her mental health may be deteriorating to the extent that she could be at risk of self-harm.
Given these circumstances, PM Sharif urged President Biden to use his presidential powers to grant clemency to Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and facilitate her release on humanitarian grounds.
