Lahore: Dengue takes life of Secretary PUNJMIN Ataullah Siddiqui

Punjab government’s Secretary Punjab Mineral Development Corporation (PUNJMIN) Ataullah Siddiqui passed away due to dengue fever.

Dengue epidemic is getting out of control of Punjab government as a provincial Secretary PUNJMIN Ataullah Siddiqui lost his life due to dengue fever. The number of deaths in Lahore has reached 12 due to dengue fever.

According to unofficial estimates, more than 6,000 people are infected by dengue virus in Lahore. In the past 24 hours, 486 new cases of dengue virus were reported in different hospitals of the city.

Meanwhile, Army also established medical camps in Cantt Area and defence Housing Authority, Lahore to provided medical treatment to dengue patients.

In Multan, the number of dengue patients brought to Nishtar Hospital has reached 40.

In interior Sindh, 26 cases of dengue virus were reported. One dengue case was confirmed in Ghotki while there was confirmation of dengue cases in Hyderabad, Benazirabad and Tando Muhammad Khan. In Karachi, the number of dengue cases has reached 24

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the number of patients suffering from dengue fever has reached 55 while four of the victims have lost their lives.

Muslims should avenge Pakistani jailed in US: Zawahiri

WASHINGTON: Al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri called on Muslims on Thursday to avenge the sentencing of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist jailed for 86 years by a US court, the SITE monitoring service said.

Zawahiri made the appeal in an audio message entitled “Who Will Avenge the Scientist Aafia Siddiqui,” which was released on jihadist forums, the US-based SITE Intelligence Group said.

He promised “to attack … (Americans) as long as they attack” Muslims and said “the ummah (Islamic nation) will not stop pursuing you.”

And Zawahiri told Pakistanis their “government humiliated them by letting the Americans and Crusaders occupy the country.”

He called for them to “take the only available path, that of jihad … which will liberate Aafia Siddiqui.”

On September 23, a New York court jailed Siddiqui, 38, for the attempted murder of US

Muslims should avenge Pakistani jailed in US: Zawahiri

WASHINGTON: Al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri called on Muslims on Thursday to avenge the sentencing of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist jailed for 86 years by a US court, the SITE monitoring service said.

Zawahiri made the appeal in an audio message entitled “Who Will Avenge the Scientist Aafia Siddiqui,” which was released on jihadist forums, the US-based SITE Intelligence Group said.

He promised “to attack … (Americans) as long as they attack” Muslims and said “the ummah (Islamic nation) will not stop pursuing you.”

And Zawahiri told Pakistanis their “government humiliated them by letting the Americans and Crusaders occupy the country.”

He called for them to “take the only available path, that of jihad … which will liberate Aafia Siddiqui.”

On September 23, a New York court jailed Siddiqui, 38, for the attempted murder of US

Karachi: Zardari, MQM meeting cancelled

A meeting between the MQM delegation and President Asif Ali Zardari has been cancelled due to unknown reasons, Dunya News reported on Monday.
Sources said that the said meeting was called by President Zardari. An MQM delegation comprising Senator Babar Khan Ghori, Waseem Aftab, Dr Siddiqui and Adil Siddiqui were to meet the President, however the meeting has been called off.
Babar Ghori has left for London to bring Dr Imran Farooqs dead body back Pakistan. On the other hand, Shershah scrap market, closed after a terrorist attack in which 12 people lost their lives in shooting incident, has been reopened today.
President Shershah junk market Malik Zahid said that the decision to the effect has been taken after complete assurance from the Interior Minister besides fool proof security arrangements. Quran Khawani was also held for those killed in the terrorist attack.

Pakistan redoubles efforts to bring Aafia home

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said Monday it would leave ‘no stone unturned’ in trying to bring home a woman scientist sentenced to 86 years in jail by a US court.

A New York court Thursday found Aafia Siddiqui, a once brilliant scientist dubbed “Lady Qaeda” by US tabloids, guilty of the attempted murder of US military officers in Afghanistan in 2008 — five years after she disappeared.

“We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to bring her back. We are following both legal and political approaches to get her back,” Interior Minister Rehman Malik told a news conference.

He added that the government was concerned about the 38-year old neuroscientist’s mental and physical condition and was considering appealing on behalf of Siddiqui’s mother and sister to President Barack Obama to pardon her.

“We are concerned about Dr Siddiqui’s living conditions and we

Aafias sentence details made public

A detailed verdict, comprising 111 pages, on Dr Aafia Siddiquis sentencing by a US court has been released on Sunday, Dunya News reported.
Experts said the detailed judgment has reviewed, from all aspects, the courts proceedings, leading to sentencing Dr Aafia Siddiqui 86 years in imprisonment.
Last February a jury found Dr Siddiqui guilty of seven charges, including two counts of attempted murder. The jury found there wasnt premeditation in the attempted murder charges. After the judge announced the sentence, Dr Siddiqui turned to the audience and urged the public to forgive the persons involved in the case and not to take any revenge action. Prosecutors had alleged that Dr Siddiqui, unbeknownst to some Americans who travelled to Ghazni, was behind a curtain in the second-floor room where they gathered. She burst from behind the curtain, grabbed an American soldiers rifle and started firing. She was shot in the abdomen by a soldier who returned fire with his sidearm, the prosecutors said.
Dr Siddiqui, who received her graduation degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brandeis University in biology and neuroscience while living in the US between 1991 and June 2002, denied grabbing the weapon or having any familiarity with firearms.During the trial, she testified that she was simply trying to escape the room and was shot by someone who had seen her. She claimed she was concerned at the time about being transferred to a secret prison.

Country observes Protest Day against Dr Aafias penalty

Thousands of people hold protest demonstration across the country to mark the Protest Day being observed against the sentence of Dr Aafia, Dunya News reported on Friday.
Demonstrators in Lahore, Peshawar, Multan and other cities staged protests and took out rallies to demand the government to halt the implementation of Aafias prison sentence. A large number of students from different universities and colleges participated in the demonstration. Protesters burnt tires on Lower Mall road and blocked traffic.
Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that the government would take every possible step to ensure Dr Aafias safe return.
A US federal court in Manhattan has sentenced Pakistani neuroscientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui 86 years of imprisonment in 7 charges.
Aafia Siddiqui, 38, was sentenced in US District Court in Manhattan by Judge Richard M. Berman, who said significant incarceration is appropriate. Don’t get angry, Siddiqui said in court to her supporters after the sentence was announced. Forgive Judge Berman. Berman responded, saying: I wish more defendants would feel the way that you do. Dr. Afia said that she didnt want any Muslims or Pakistanis to shed blood behind her name.
After the US courts decision, Dr. Aafias sister Fauzia Siddiqui said that Aafia movement would be launched soon and Dr. Aafia would be brought back to Pakistan. She said that Aafia was forced to admit that she was not tortured in the prison.
A jury convicted the Dr Aafia in February of trying to kill US agents and military officers after she was detained by police in Afghanistan in 2008. During Siddiquis three-week trial, FBI agents and US soldiers testified that when they went to interrogate Siddiqui, she snatched an unattended assault rifle and shot at them while yelling, ”Death to Americans”
Her conviction touched off protests in Pakistan. There were more protests as hundreds chanted ”Free Aafia” at a rally in Karachi, while others demonstrated outside the Manhattan courthouse.
Earlier, Interior Minister Rehman Malik sent a letter on Saturday to the United States Attorney General calling for repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui to Pakistan.
Senator Talha Mehmood has said that Pakistan government did not take keen interest in Dr Aafiaa case. He was talking to media outside the Parliament House on Friday. He said had the government put pressure on the US government it would have released the unfortunate women for the former have vested interest in the country.

Aafia’s sentence is a slap for rulers: Sister

Staff Report

KARACHI: Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s sister, Fauzia Siddiqui, said that imprisonment is a slap for Pakistani rulers.

Addressing media persons at Siddiqui’s home on Thursday, she said that the rulers could have brought back Dr. Aafia home, but they avoided to do so. SAMAA

Dr Aafia sentenced 86 years of imprisonment

A US federal court in Manhattan has sentenced Pakistani neuroscientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui 86 years of imprisonment in 7 charges.
Aafia Siddiqui, 38, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Manhattan by Judge Richard M. Berman, who said significant incarceration is appropriate. Don’t get angry, Siddiqui said in court to her supporters after the sentence was announced. Forgive Judge Berman. Berman responded, saying: I wish more defendants would feel the way that you do. Dr. Afia said that she didnt want any Muslims or Pakistanis to shed blood behind her name.
After the US courts decision, Dr. Aafias sister Fauzia Siddiqui said that Aafia movement would be launched soon and Dr. Aafia would be brought back to Pakistan. She said that Aafia was forced to admit that she was not tortured in the prison.
A jury convicted the Dr Aafia in February of trying to kill US agents and military officers after she was detained by police in Afghanistan in 2008. During Siddiquis three-week trial, FBI agents and US soldiers testified that when they went to interrogate Siddiqui, she snatched an unattended assault rifle and shot at them while yelling, ”Death to Americans”
Her conviction touched off protests in Pakistan. There were more protests as hundreds chanted ”Free Aafia” at a rally in Karachi, while others demonstrated outside the Manhattan courthouse.
Earlier, Interior Minister Rehman Malik sent a letter on Saturday to the United States Attorney General calling for repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui to Pakistan.

CJ presses for effective Judicial Policy

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry underscored the need for effective promulgation of Judicial Policy, Geo News reported Saturday.

Addressing the session of National Judicial Policy Making Committee here, he directed that steps should be taken for efficacious dispensation of justice at low level.

The CJs of all four provinces attended the meeting of the Committee.

The CJ Chaudhry said pending cases were disposed of successfully to a large extent despite load shedding and the judicial timings, adding the judges and lawyers of the subordinate judiciary are working hard.

Without the cooperation of the Bar, the target is inaccessible, he added.

The Chief Justice said the International Judicial Conference would be held in Islamabad from April 16 to 18 to be attended by delegates from across the globe.

He said the judiciary and the lawyers would be denied any ‘shortcut’.

The CJP said he is cognizant of the problems faced by lawyers, complainants and judicial officers in way for promulgation of judicial policy, adding these problems would soon be worked out.

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