Ishaq Dar’s statement about Aafia Siddiqui during his U.S. visit triggered criticism after he appeared to justify the American legal process that led to Siddiqui’s incarceration. Speaking at the Atlantic Council in Washington, Dar compared Pakistan’s judicial system to the U.S. justice system in the context of both Aafia Siddiqui and Imran Khan cases.
In response to one of the questions concerning law proceedings in Pakistan, Dar stated that in case the U.S. respected the due legal process in the case of Aafia Siddiqui, then so should Pakistan to the decisions made by its judicial system in indirect reference to the case of Imran Khan, former Prime Minister of Pakistan. Ishaq Dar’s statement about Aafia Siddiqui spread over social media, which was criticized by many.
Dar’s remarks led to immediate backlash, especially from Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s U.S.-based lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, who termed the comparison as flawed. He argued that Siddiqui’s trial lacked due process and could not be equated with other political or legal cases.
Responding to the criticism, Ishaq Dar later clarified that his reference had been taken out of context. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Dar emphasized that the PML-N government has always provided full legal and diplomatic support for Aafia Siddiqui’s release and will continue to do so.
Speaking separately to the Pakistani community in New York, he reiterated that Aafia Siddiqui is Pakistan’s daughter and resolving her case remains a priority. He also highlighted previous efforts made by the government, including clemency appeals submitted between 2015 and 2017 to U.S. officials.
Despite his clarification, the Ishaq Dar statement about Aafia Siddiqui continues to draw mixed reactions online, with many questioning the timing and relevance of his comparison during a sensitive diplomatic engagement.
