Missing Pakistani – Dr. Afia Siddiqui – Prisoner 650
A few days back the Asian Human Rights Commission issued an urgent press release about a Pakistani, Dr. Afia Siddiqui, who has been missing from Pakistan for over four years, since 2003. Her kidnapping has since then been denied by both American and Pakistani governments but actually she has been suspected of being an operative of Al-Qaeda and has been on FBI’s wanted list. There is reason to believe that she is also one of the missing persons who had been ‘handed over’ to the Americans courtesy of Pervaiz Musharraf. Let us not forget that the missing persons case was a turning point in the history of Pakistan where Pervaiz Musharraf had a severe falling out with the then CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry who was investigating this case and probably stepped on a few toes definitely ended up rumbling a few skeleton locked within Musharraf’s treasure chest of hidden secrets
- Sign Asian Human Rights Commission’s Urgent letter of Appeal which will send an email to Bush, Karzai, Gilani, Farooq Naek & Rehman Malik
- Sign the online petition for her release
- Join Facebook groups to participate in digital activism to raise awareness here and here
- Spread the word by email & SMS to all your contacts so as to create more pressure
Dr. Afia Siddiqui left her mother’s house in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi, Sindh province, along with her three children, in a Metro-cab on March 30, 2003 to catch a flight for Rawalpindi, Punjab province, but never reached the airport. The press reports claimed that Dr. Afia had been picked-up by Pakistani intelligence agencies while on her way to the airport and initial reports suggested that she was handed over to the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). At the time of her arrest she was 30 years and the mother of three sons the oldest of which was four and the youngest only one month.
A few days later an American news channel, NBC, reported that Afia had been arrested in Pakistan on suspicion of facilitating money transfers for terror networks of Osama Bin Laden. The mother of the victim, Mrs. Ismat (who has since passed away) termed the NBC report absurd. She went on to say that Dr. Afia is a neurological scientist and has been living with her husband, Amjad, in the USA for several years.
On April 1, 2003, a small news item was published in an Urdu daily with reference to a press conference of the then Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat. When questioned with regard to Dr. Afia’s arrest he denied that she had been arrested. This was followed by another Urdu daily article on April 2 regarding another press conference in which the same minister said Dr. Afia was connected to Al Qaeda and that she had not been arrested as she was absconding. He added: “You will be astonished to know about the activities of Dr. Afia” A Monthly English magazine of Karachi in a special coverage on Dr. Afia reported that one week after her disappearance, a plain clothed intelligence went to her mother’s house and warned her, “We know that you are connected to higher-ups but do not make an issue out of your daughter’s disappearance.” According to the report the mother was threatened her with ‘dire consequences’ if she made a fuss.
Whilst Dr. Afia’s whereabouts remain unknown, there are reports of a woman called ‘Prisoner 650′ is being detained in Afghanistan’s Bagram prison and that she has been tortured to the point where she has lost her mind. Britain’s Lord Nazeer Ahmed, (of the House of Lords), asked questions in the House about the condition of Prisoner 650 who, according to him is physically tortured and continuously raped by the officers at prison. Lord Nazeer has also submitted that Prisoner 650 has no separate toilet facilities and has to attend to her bathing and movements in full view of the other prisoners.
Also, on July 6, 2008 a British journalist, Yvonne Ridley, called for help for a Pakistani woman she believes has been held in isolation by the Americans in their Bagram detention centre in Afghanistan, for over four years. “I call her the ‘grey lady’ because she is almost a ghost, a spectre whose cries and screams continues to haunt those who heard her,” Ms Ridley said at a press conference.
Ms Ridley, who went to Pakistan to appeal for help, said the case came to her attention when she read the book, The Enemy Combatant, by a former Guantanamo detainee, Moazzam Begg. After being seized in February 2002 in Islamabad, Mr Begg was held in detention centres in Kandahar and Bagram for about a year before he was transferred to Guantanamo Bay. He recounted his experiences in the book after his release in 2005. Mr. Imran Khan, leader of Justice Party (T.I) suspects that prisoner 650 is the Dr. Afia Siddiqui and USA and Pakistani authorities are hiding facts of ‘Prisoner 650′.
To date, neither the American nor the Pakistani government have come out about the arrest and detention of Dr. Afia in either Bagram or Guantanamo Bay where suspected terrorists are held. On December 30, 2003 Dr. Fawzia Siddiqui, Dr. Afia’s elder sister met with Mr Faisal Saleh Hayat at Islamabad with Mr Ejazul Haq, MNA, regarding the whereabouts of Dr. Afiai. Mr Faisal told Dr. Fawzia and Mr Ejazul Haq that according to his information Dr. Afia Siddiqui had already been released and that she (Dr. Fawzia) should go home and wait for a phone call from her sister.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Dr. Afia Siddiqui, who studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US, for about 10 years and did her PhD in genetics, returned to Pakistan in 2002. Having failed to get a suitable job, she again visited the US on a valid visa in February 2003 to search for a job and to submit an application to the US immigration authorities. She moved there freely and came back to Karachi by the end of February 2003 after renting a post office box in her name in Maryland for the receipt of her mail. It has been claimed by the FBI (Newsweek International, June 23, 2003, issue) that the box was hired for one Mr Majid Khan, an alleged member of Al Qaeda residing in Baltimore.
Throughout March 2003 flashes of the particulars of Dr. Afia were telecast with her photo on American TV channels and radios painting her as a dangerous Al Qaeda person needed by the FBI for interrogation. On learning of the FBI campaign against her she went underground in Karachi and remained so till her kidnapping. The June 23, 2003, issue of Newsweek International was exclusively devoted to Al Qaeda. The core of the issue was an article “Al Qaeda’s Network in America”. The article has three photographs of so-called Al Qaeda members – Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, Dr. Afia Siddiqui and Ali S. Al Marri of Qatar who has studied in the US like Dr. Siddiqui and had long since returned to his homeland. In this article, which has been authored by eight journalists who had access to FBI records, the only charge leveled against Dr. Afia is that “she rented a post-office box to help a former resident of Baltimore named Majid Khan (alleged Al Qaeda suspect) to help establish his US identity.
NewsLine while doing a story in 2003 – Mysterious Cover-up Mazhar Abbass reports that
Surprisingly there has been no official report registered with the police about Afia’s disappearance which explains why Afia’s mother wanted to avoid going public. The police, meanwhile, is doing nothing to trace Afia. “We have no knowledge about this case nor has anyone contacted me,” said Sindh police chief, Syed Kamal Shah. Ismat Siddiqui, however, claims that she has spoken to high police officials, including Shah, about her daughter’s disappearance. A week after the incident, Mrs. Siddiqui alleges that an intelligence agency official came to her house and warned her not to make an issue out of her daughter’s disappearance and threatened her with dire consequences.
Daily Times gives a detailed account of her mysterious disappearance in 2004 – The strange story of Aafia Siddiqui
Months later, the FBI would make its most devastating claim against Siddiqui. It was still dark on the morning of March 1, 2003, when Pakistani authorities arrested Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a known September 11 mastermind, at a Karachi safe house. The arrest made news around the world. It also presaged the extraordinary vanishing act of AafiaSiddiqui and her three small children.” It seems Khalid Sheikh Mohammed gave up Aafia’s name as being a major Al Qaeda operative.” However, one of her defenders saysSiddiqui ’s identity was likely stolen. “Aafia was, I think, probably a pretty naive and trusting person and my guess is it would be pretty easy for somebody who wanted to steal an identity to just steal it.” About a month after his capture in the spring of 2003, she disappeared.
The question is where is Afia and why are police and intelligence agencies silent? Is she in the custody of the FBI or the ISI? Another possibility is that Afia might have been kidnapped by her ex-husband, who may have links with Al-Qaeda. Whatever the case, there seems to be a deliberate attempt to hush up the mysterious circumstances behind Afia Siddiqui’s disappearance
Other links: Adnan Siddiqui – These coward and fascist liberals | PkPolitics – Appeal for the Release of Dr. Afia Siddiqui & Her 3 Children
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it is the right time to save her lets get united against terrorism but lets start it from america first
muhmmad bin qasim invaded the whole land just to save one muslim daughter if we have eeman today too we can produce muhmmad bin qasim.
get united to save the daughter of Islam on the day of judgement i wonder what answer will i give when ALLAH Pak will ask me today i feel shame of my self.
please make it sure that she is through fair trail. plzzzzz
i would like to say its totaly unfair with the innocent lady..
Allah will not forgive the america for this and America will destroy soon inshaAllah
Allah will never forgive those american
why destroying an innocent lady life with three children
plz give relief to dr afia she is innocent and stop tochring her
i appeal from all muslims that plz plz plz do some thing for the Daughter of muslims.Really plz think for a moment when this same thing happend with our all bllod relations.then what we do. I said to BULL SHIT to our all Presidents i always pray that GOD gave them biggest Punishment INSHALLAH specially to PERVAIZ MUSHRAF.EVEN the crows and DOGS cant bite the alive body of this Animal(MUSHRAF).this is a azmaish for all muslims.plz plz all muslims should be unite at this moment and take out all the president from their houses.MUSHRAF.ZARDARI.NAWAZ SHARIF,Ejazul Haq,Ejazul Haq is that person who say ISLAM but always do opposite work.INSHALLAH God will ask form him. even others all these persons are same in nature just their faces are different.INSHALLAH at day of Judgment GOD will ask from these persons and put them in the lowest layer of the HELL.
I would like to say its totaly unfair with the innocent lady..
Allah will not forgive the america for this and America will destroy soon inshaAllah
One question for all muslim.
Are we muslim ??????
If we are muslim then why we are silence for injustice to our great lady Afia Sadiqui.
My massage for all muslim world
Please wake up
Please wake up
Please wake up
We have lost our dignity. We have to beat the challenges of world please any one do something for DR AFIA SADIQUI.
Please pray to Allah
u r absolutely rite MR QAYYUM! we need to wake up… we shud wake up before the PAKISTAN destroy………its time to wake up……..its time to go ahaed against injustice……..koi tu awaz buland kray..ya phr hum sab mil kr awaz buland karain………..y only pakistanis r in troble alwaz,where ever they go in ths world……..?????………its injustice..we shud wake up now……..its time to suport our country……
Gud Mr Qayyum but the last comment u have written iz “please any one do something for DR AFIA SADIQUI”
Its mean u do not want to do it by urself.
Discusting naa … Baat kerna asan ha laiken khud ko ye kehna bohat mushkil ha k Atif start tm karo gay chahye anjam jo bi niklay.
Well apna apna nazariya ha so don’t mind it Mr.
the question is…….kiya pakistan ka koi b citizen safe hai? nd answer is “no”….hum uss waqat tak dosron ko blame kaisay kr saktay hain..jb humaray apnay log hi humaray nhi hain?……..aj ager pakistan ki government pakistan k sath fair ho gi tu dunya ki koi taqqat pakistanio ko hath nhi laga sakay gi….hum sab pakistanio ka waris sirf ALLAH hai……humaray apnay hukmaran hi humari tazlil kr rahay hain….ALLAH pak aisay tumam logon ko gharat karay jin k hath bai gunah logo k blood say rangay huay hain….lanat hai humaray hukmarano per jo chup chap sb kuch daikhtay hain..infact. pakistan ko tabah kernay main sb say agay agay hain…ALLAH pak hum sab ko apnay hifz o aman main rakhay………aur DR AFIA ki hifazat kray.ameen
well said javairia but this is not a time to debate !
No decision is a good decision untill it works so by thinking it dat “it was wrong” n “this is right” will further waste the time. The thing we can do is to come up with the media and make it an important issue in front of USA n other ones who are responsible. Only by blaming others can never solve the problems ever . . .
friendsandroses007@yahoo.com
hum musalman kehlane ke laaeq nahi hy hum bss tamashai hy jahan kuch ho hum bs kehte hy kya hoa or kuch nahi ker sakte. kuch ker sakti hy to wo hy humari goverment lekin wo bi khamosh hy tamasha dekh rahi hy. aaj ager DR.Afia sidiqi jis jaga hy wahan kal hum bi ho sakte qk america kuch bi ker sakta kisi ko bi deshathgard bana skta hy chaee hum ho ya pora pakistan q na ho. khud ka wast jagee or himmath kaere or apni behn Dr.Afia ko bachaee un zalimo ke hao se.hum sub apni behn k sath hy.Dr.Afia zinda baad
would like to say its totaly unfair with the innocent lady..
Allah will not forgive the america for this and America will destroy soon inshaAllah
One question for all muslim.
Are we muslim ??????
If we are muslim then why we are silence for injustice to our great lady Afia Sadiqui.
My massage for all muslim world
Please wake up
Please wake up
Please wake up
We have lost our dignity. We have to beat the challenges of world please any one do something for DR AFIA SADIQUI.
Please pray to Allah
allh is with us
allh will not forgive amrica.but will allh forgive mulims?pl wake up ya ummtal islam
v must save her b4r itz 2 late!
a famous person had said i dont hate christianity but i hate very much christians.i had quoted this only to let u know that tody americans policies become very dangerous for muslims.so the need of the hour is to unite the muslims as iqbal had said………
AIK HOON MUSLIM HARAM KI PASBANI KAY LIAY
NEEL K SAHIL SAY LAY KAR TA-BA-KHAK-KEY KASHIGHAR
how unfair is that.where are her kids.everyone who took part in this should put themselves in her shoes.im sure youve all got kids.they say the nation is looking out for us,they say theyre trying to make the world a better place.by destroying an innocents womens life.her childrens life,her husbands life.wheres the damn moral in that.i see nothing but anger and hatred developing from these actions…
You know, you hate Christians or at least one of you said you did. I am a Christian. I pray for these children to still be alive. I do not know first hand what happened, and so I can not attest to Afia’s guilt or innocense. I can say that saying nothing on either side about what happened is wrong. As far as destoryoing America as some of you claim needs or will be done, I am American. I am a good person. I have muslim friends. I pray for the children of Pakistan and other middle eastern countries when I hear of things happening to them.
To destroy America would be to destroy all Americans. We do not like your government, but we do not want all of you killed. I think it is a little unfair to place American citizens in the same boat with its government. Do not judge all people by the government they live under.
I’m a Pakistani living in Chicago and I don’t see how the Pakistani govt. is any less guilty than the US. They have done nothing to help her cause and have aided in this farce.
And all you people calling for the US to be destroyed sound like lunatics and only serve to fan the flames. Fundamentalism in Pakistan has grown at an alarming rate during the last decade (I’ve noticed this after traveling back and forth since 2001).
It’s very sad that the US govt. doesn’t consider opinions like mine when I say that this “War on Terror” only sows resentment for a new generation of brown people to take up arms.
Beyond the bounderies of colour,race and religon,we all should stand on one platform of humanity and being human beings,we should be supportive and helpful towards the needy.But it is unfair 2 blame all Americans or Curse all Cristains because of Political Stratagy of Rulers.we Muslims specially Pakistanis should be rational instead of being emotional.We should hold our Govt responsible in Afia and kids case,it is our Govt who is responsible 4 our security as well as 4 every clamaty that falls on us on national and international level.I request 2 my ppl 2 wake up and stand against our own black sheeps,2 reagain our Muslim Dignity and unity ,so no one frm the world around dare 2 keep a bad eye on us.
Impressive Sandy !!
I like your point of view, at least ur attitude could change the reaction of few Muslims towards USA but remember if your brother in family is destroyed by a single person of mine family than never be these two persons are the enemies of each other but the fact is dat both of the two families are against eachother. How could you neglect me ?? han by knowing it dat i m the brother of that person who had destroyed ur brother ???????? tell me
Dr. Afia’s revenge shld be taken frm Pak Army.
girls and guys check it out…..
http://hukmran.blogspot.com/search/label/Dr%20Afia%20Siddiqui
afia is our sister and w should do something as muslim nation for her
it is totally unjustice and voilates human rights.where is this organization.is this only organization for non muslims and especially jews.
it is really shame full For over Government, For What They are Ellected if they can,t protect their own Nationals.
as Pakistani We all Must Stand With Dr. Afia’s Family, TO Help Our Sister. And those Who are responsible for it, sure they shell get the worst punishment.We All must Protest against Organized Crimes of AMERICA.
shame on you people
gutless cowards, queer and spineless,
shameless muslims
you call yourselves musims, billions around the world cannot do anything except write letters, and that too only a handful.
let alone a kafir, if a dog on the street saw another dog is such a sorry state, then it would do much more than just stare from at a corner.
so keep writing more letters, and chant chants of human rights and geneva convention and anti terrorism, in the end you are just a bunch of gutless cowards, cannot even protect your women
ha ha ha.
How many battles you have won ??? han
You r also writting letters here n hold your tongue otherwise we (muslims)know how to keep it shut.
Come face me I M A MUSLIM ….
Its an open challenge to you
I love you my sister Aafia.
Amarica ki haar ho ge.
jeet sachai ki he ho ge.
i proud of you sister.
i m with aafia.
Aafia siddique ttare juraat ko salam.
humain apnay ap ko marad kahalwaty hoy b sharm aati hai k hum jaisay mardun k hotay hoay ap abhi tak amarican kuttun ki qaid main hain.
Musharif ur Zardari jaisay Hukmaranun k hotay hoay ap ko amarica le gia.
lanat hai Musharaf pe Lanat hai Zardari pe.
Kash Allah ne mujay moqa dia hota,mujay himat taqat di hoti,mujay es qabal banaya hota k main ap ko kaminun ki qaid se chora k la sakta.
Main tamam logun se appel karta houn k wo apni taraf se awaz e haq buland karain.her koi apni taraf se try karay takay koi to rasta nikal aai jo Aafia ki rahaai ko jata ho.
Main ap k sath her qadam baraber ka sath doun ga.
God bless you and God bless Aafia.
SYED UMER GARDEZI
newsoneumer@live.com
03435099451
ay kambakth, tu to sirf yahe kar sakta hai, hai na?
sirf salam pesh karna aur afsoos karna?
tujko kya koi sakh hai, ki to mard hai ki nahi?
“Kash Allah ne mujay moqa dia hota” ay nalayak, ‘kash’ ka matlab kya, mujko samjha.
Kya tojko bola nahi hui thi ki-
“aao bhaoyo, ap mullah muhammad umar aur sheikh osama ki sath jihad mein shami ho jaiyey”
ha?
ay kambakth, awaz e haq kisko kehte hai? petetion likh na?
awaz e haz to wahi hote hai jo ak-47 ki samne se nikal te hai, awaz e haz to sirf woo log pukar sakte hai jo ALLAH ki reste pe jihad karte hai.
to to bangaya koi engineer or doctor, aur to mauka dhoond raha hai, kash aisa, kash waisa?
tujko to mein isrf yahi kahye sakta hu,
wait, till the day of judgement
Jago musalmano
Jago pakistan walo
Jago aah Aahl e Islam walo
Tumari Ezat ko Amarica nast o nabood kar raha hai.
Hamari bahaan Aafia ro ro k hamain pukaaaaaaaar rahi hai.
wo raah daikh rahe hai k hai koi MUHAMMAD BIN QASIM jo ak mazloom ki ezat bacha sakay.
hai koi??????????????????
hai koi???????????????????????
Jawab do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
khamosh keyoun hain sub k sub?????????????????
keyoun???????????????????????????????????????????????????
Salaam,im a 25 year old mother of 2 in the United Kingdom, im a hijabi and seek Allah’s refuge from such, ameen. Well… everybody has a different story to tell about Dr Afia Siddiqui, Allahu Allam. But as far as i can IMAGINE like u put it… I feel that she must have been some how involved in supporting Jihad or even giving Mere Charity money for this cause. What you missed out in your imagination theme is that she was has visited Afghanistan,furthermore, it was discovered that her husband had purchased Night vision gogles( gosh i cant spell that right) who later separated from her. And Allah knows best. My point is she might have done something which is permissible in DEENALLAH but with the current affairs where carrying a knife and watching aggressive videos on youtube has also become a crime and people have been sentenced for the above, she probably got done for such a thing. Allahu Allam May ALLAH EASe HER SUFFERINGS AMEEN.
plz leave our sister
no bro.sirf kehney sey kam nahe chaly ga.stand up 2 get her back fainaly.just request cant resolve this problme.
what can i say?i dont know but whatever.i must say 1 thing,we want dr.aafia back at any cost.at any how.