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Posts tagged with: Afghanistan
Sep 15, 2008    |       19 comments

Dr. Aafia’s son handed over to Pakistan

It is being reported that the Afghanistan government has handed over the custody of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s eldest son Ahmed Siddiqui to the Pakistani Ambassador in Kabul

Dawn.com: Under the presidential order of Hamid Karzai, we hand over Ali Hassan (?), 12, to Pakistan authorities,’ Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman, Sultan Ahmad Baheen, told reporters during a ceremony in Kabul. ‘We hope this step should symbolize friendly ties with our neighboring nation Pakistan,’ he said.

The only anomaly or an accidental typographical error is found in Dawn.com’s report where they have extensively used the name of Ali Hassan as the son of Aafia Siddiqui, which to my best knowledge is not the case, dawn.com goes on endlessly to an extent quoting officials using that name as well. I suspect this to be a minor typographical error and nothing but.

That said we must celebrate the release of this young child and hope that he recovers soon and resumes his normal childhood with the hope that one day he might meet his mother who is undergoing a criminal trial in the United States of America which appears to be a long drawn out battle, if she is innocent then we hope that she might return home safely to her kids

Sep 11, 2008    |       2 comments

Lost war and a lost cause

By: Amjad Malik

On the anniversary of tragic events of September 11, the statements of both Pakistan and US armed officers are frightening for Asia. New York Times reported today that ‘President Bush secretly approved orders in July that for the first time to allow American Special Operations forces to carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan without the prior approval of the Pakistani government’. The article reported that the American commanders in Afghanistan have complained bitterly that militants use sanctuaries in Pakistan to attack American troops in Afghanistan. He said that “I’m not convinced we’re winning it in Afghanistan,” However, Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. “I am convinced we can.” Toward that goal, Admiral Mullen said he had ordered a comprehensive military strategy to address the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The commando raid last week and an increasing number of recent missile strikes are part of a more aggressive overall American campaign in the border region aimed at intensifying attacks on Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the waning months of the Bush administration, with less than two months to go before November elections.
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Sep 11, 2008    |      1 comment

Immediately Stop: ‘Logistic Support’ to Fascist NATO in Afghanistan

Guest Blog by Silence from Islamabad Observer

Dear Pakistani’s,
United States of America, the principal leader of fascist movement NATO has launched several unprovoked attacks inside Pakistan, killing innocent women and children. They launch their attacks, killing just about anybody including innocent women and children to vent their anger and frustration, as they are facing a shameful defeat in Afghanistan. They want us to take the responsibility for their failure. They want to breed hatred in our people against state and working on an agenda to disintegrate our country for their ‘oil plan’.

Our previous government does nothing to stop them, now enemy is putting more pressure on the newly elected government, to accept the directions of the enemy, literally to give up our sovereignty. We are under pressure to conform to our oppressors wishes about how we should behave, how we should govern our land, how we should live and how we should think even. Our enemy is suffering from might-madness, they think through might and they negotiate through killing.
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Sep 5, 2008    |       18 comments

US agression and ‘Honorable existence’!

Guest Post by Silence from Islamabad Observer

United States-led NATO forces killed 15 tribesmen, including women and children, in it’s first-ever ground attack inside Pakistani territory on Wednesday. The US forces landed by 3 choppers inside Pakistani village of Musa Neeke in South Waziristan Agency (SWA). The soldiers started indiscriminate firing with their automatic assault rifles at the sleeping inmates and shot dead nine family members of Faujan Wazir, including four women, two children and three men. The troops also killed another villager, Faiz Mohammad Wazir, his wife and two of his other family members.

Prime Minister of Pakistan and President has strongly condemned the unprovoked and cowardly act while the Senate, National Assembly and NWFP provincial assembly passed unanimous resolutions condemning the killing of innocent civilians and demanded the suspension of logistic support to US forces in Afghanistan. “We reserve the right of self-defence and retaliation to protect our citizens and soldiers against any aggression,” remarked Maj Murad, an ISPR officer based in Rawalpindi.
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Sep 5, 2008    |       18 comments

Dr. Aafia Indicted on Murder Charges but No Terrorism Charge

A US court on Tuesday announced the indictment of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui for allegedly attacking US agents who went to interrogate her after she was arrested by local police in Afghanistan. 

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui faces

  1. One count of attempting to kill US nationals abroad;
  2. One count of attempting to kill US officers and employees;
  3. One count of armed assault of US officers and employees;
  4. One count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and
  5. Three counts of assault of US officers and employees.

If convicted, Siddiqui faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each of the attempted murder and armed assault charges; life in prison on the firearm charge; and eight years in prison on each of the remaining assault charges

Interestingly the U.S. intelligence officials have told Pakistani officials in past weeks that there is coercive evidence in their possession linking the Pakistani scientist to terrorism and Al Qaeda, surprisingly no such charge has been brought against her

Daily Times also adds two possible reasons for this: “one that the prosecution is fairly confident that it can obtain a conviction without charging her with terrorism; and, two, that the prosecution does not want to disclose information that would have had to be made public were Siddiqui to be charged with terrorism.” – truly this is hogwash B.S
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Aug 29, 2008    |       23 comments

Living with Corruption

Guest Post by Silence

Corruption and governance goes together in developing countries, especially the third world where democratic process is influenced by bloodline, money politics, feudalism, intervention of imperialist powers through military and religious exploitations. The process becomes more painful when the society is trying to develop from under develop, while profiled as ‘high risk investment zones’ these countries need investment for development, the clever investor who is aware of this fact bargains for softer terms and governments are unable to deny, the rules are relaxed and projects vital for survival of society are given to these investors, an example of this is can be the IPP’s in past Benazir Bhutto’s regime in Pakistan which was widely criticized at that time but proved to be a lifeline for Pakistan’s industry in following decade. It’s not a national interest which forces the governments to relax the rules, once relaxed in broader national interests, these rules become a tool for corruption and personal benefits, the prime examples are Pakistan’s defense agreements, where an Air Force Chief got kick backs of Billion of $ and many politicians like Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif multiplied their holdings, Shaukat Azaiz sold the national institutions for personal gains and was forced to stop from handing over Pakistan Steel and a PIA owned hotel in New York by Supreme Court and Pakistan Senate respectively, the father in law of former dictator Pervez Musharraff got the contract of elevated Rail track in Karachi for five times higher bid from national exchequer then the Chinese company offered and that too on soft loan basis.
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Aug 21, 2008    |       8 comments

The Great Game –The Count Down Begins !

In its December issues Global Research of Canada in a series of articles by Prof. Michel Chossudovsky outlined the American design for the break up of Pakistan. I give below the gist of his remarkably till now accurate analysis(with a few comments of my own),in the hopes that it serves as an eye opener for my country men- and my friends in India.

The report states that due to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto the process of US sponsored “regime change”, which normally consists in the re-formation of a fresh proxy government under new leaders, has been defeated. Their trusted ally General Pervez Musharraf – having been exposed – cannot long remain in the seat of political power. More over the fake elections supported by the “west” scheduled for January 2008 would now only create a political impasse.
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Aug 12, 2008    |       16 comments

Dr. Aafia has not ‘yet’ recieved medical attention, but will get it in 24hrs

Today at a court hearing in New York a frail looking Dr. Aafia appeared in a wheel chair, this was probably the first time she was seen publicly and a group of Pakistani supporters awaited to greet her. The hearing was initially scheduled to discuss bail as planned but her lawyers said she was in dire need of medical care and surprisingly has not yet been examined let alone seek attention for her wounds. So much for the notion of having basic Human Rights in America

“She is complaining of abdominal pain. She understands she lost part of an intestine,” Siddiqui had large stitches down her torso from major surgery and may be suffering from internal bleeding. The lead lawyer on her team, Elizabeth Fink, [appealed to the judge saying] “She has been here, judge, for one week and she has not seen a doctor, even though they (U.S. authorities) know she has been shot.” – Reuters

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Aug 9, 2008    |       44 comments

Dr. Afia’s health serious – bullet wound, kidney removed & battered nose, children missing

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that due to a bullet wound and removal of one kidney, Dr. Afia Siddiqui health is in a serious condition, but no medical assistance has been provided to her whilst she has been in American custody in New York.

ACTION ALERT

Send an automated appeal letter to the concerned authorities using the AHRC system

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Aug 8, 2008    |       3 comments

KARACHI: Protest to Free Afia – Karachi Press Club – Saturday @ 6:00pm

The Peoples Resistance and numerous concerned members of the Civil Society in Karachi would like to invite YOU, the people of Pakistan to join them in a peaceful protest to appeal for the release Dr. Afia Siddiqui, who was kidnapped from Karachi in 2003 and has since been detained without charge in a US Military jail in Afghanistan. We appeal for speedy justice and her immediate return to Pakistan along with her three innocent children.

Free Afia Protest in Karachi

When: Saturday 9th August 2008
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Karachi Press Club


ACTION ALERT:

  • Bring your family, friends and colleagues for this noble cause,
  • Bring placards, flags, posters simply appealing for Justice for Dr. Afia Siddiqui and her children.
  • Spread the word far and wide so that more people can participate in this noble and humanitarian effort.
  • Use your influence on the media to spread this message of support for Dr. Afia

Peoples Resistance

Aug 8, 2008    |       5 comments

Actual sworn charges filed by FBI against Dr. Afia Siddiqui

The text of the actual sworn charges filed in the Southern District of New York by Mehtab Syed, Special Agent for FBI. Where she alleges that Afia Siddiqui was arrested in Afghanistan on July 27th and then had a tussle with the interrogating officers where she got shot in the torso read the entire charge sheet where Afia is charged under the Title 18 of United States Code section 111 (Assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees) and 1114 (Protection of officers and employees of the United States)

Download the original PDF file
Complaint lodged by FBI against Afia Siddiqui

Until we obtain the full text extracted from the PDF file here are the images click the thumbnails to read the larger version

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Aug 7, 2008    |       4 comments

Afia – held in Bagram for years, 12-yr son also detained

Cageprisoners has received new information that Aafia Siddiqui was held for years in Bagram Airbase. According to her lawyer, Elaine Whitfield Sharp,

“We do know she was at Bagram for a long time. It was a long time. According to my client she was there for years and she was held in American custody; her treatment was horrendous.”

Siddiqui’s claim is contrary to the heavily contested position of the US administration that she was detained in July by Afghan forces while attempting to bomb the compound of the governor of Ghazni. The US has previously denied the presence of female detainees in Bagram and that Aafia was ever held there, bar for medical treatment in July 2008.
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Aug 6, 2008    |       75 comments

Dr. Afia – Tortured & Terrorised for five years, but on trial for Assaulting an Officer

Afia Siddiqui after tortureIf you were for a moment, believe in all the BS that comes out of America then this must be probably yet another sparkling attempt to fool the world for the umpteenth time.

The new ‘story’ behind Dr. Afia’s sudden sudden disappearance may have something to do with the accidental FBI revelation previously on Thursday which has suddenly been transformed into one where they have allegedly found Dr. Afia on July 17th 2008 loitering around an Afghan governors compound carrying documents for creating explosives, excerpts from the Anarchist’s Arsenal, sealed bottles filled with liquids and gels [I’m impressed that she was not carrying the bomb itself while loitering around with every possible incriminating evidence stashed in her purse]. Upon her arrest the Afghan police dutifully presented her for questioning the next day where an American military officer happened to place an M-4 next to her, she naturally went crazy, fired two shots [screaming Allah-o-Akbar {Alert Alert! Oh my gosh thats a keyword sure to land her into Gitmo}] and in the tussle got shot in the torso by the military officer acting in ‘self defense’. [WOW that script must be from a page torn out of some James Bond movie.]

I don’t even have to ask anyone to read in-between the lines – its simply apparent. Just because an FBI team accidentally coughed up an admittance on Thursday that Dr. Afia actually was confined in an American jail in Afghanistan, they now needed to supply a public alibi, how would she look tortured, battered and terrorized walking into a New York court house sporting a bullet wound in her hip. Yes they needed an elaborate story [yet stupid] combined with a few testimonials to support their claims
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Aug 4, 2008    |       175 comments

FBI admits to kidnapping Dr. Afia Siddiqui, to Afghanistan

According to the BBC Urdu, the FBI has conceded that Dr. Afia Siddiqi who had vanished from Karachi over five years ago in March 2003 along with her children is in the custody of American forces in Afghanistan but sadly in a horrid medical condition

The information comes from BBC, when it received an email from lawyers based in the US hired by Dr. Afia’s brother to try and help influence the release of her sister who has been allegedly been in the custody of American forces. The lawyers claims that on Thursday an agent from the FBI came to Dr. Afia Siddiqui’s brothers house and admitted to the fact that Dr. Afia is indeed in solitary confinement within a prison in Afghanistan and in serious medical condition

It may be recalled that over five years ago Dr. Afia suddenly disappeared from Karachi along with her three children never to be seen from again, both the Pakistani and American forces have never acknowledged her disappearance until probably now, five years after her kidnapping. The admittance may well be attributed to the immense media pressure created when a number of human rights organizations presented evidence of a certain prisoner-of-war known as Prisoner 650 who was in terrible medical condition within an American prison located in Afghanistan and they had reason to suspect that Prisoner 650 was Dr. Afia Siddiqui
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Jul 30, 2008    |       595 comments

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

ACTION ALERT

  1. Sign Asian Human Rights Commission’s Urgent letter of Appeal which will send an email to Bush, Karzai, Gilani, Farooq Naek & Rehman Malik
  2. Sign the online petition for her release
  3. Join Facebook groups to participate in digital activism to raise awareness here and here
  4. Spread the word by email & SMS to all your contacts so as to create more pressure

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