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some aspects of Aafia’s life which may help clear the general
misunderstandings prevalent among the masses regarding this
issue.
Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui:
First and foremost thing which I am unable to understand
is the continuous propaganda by some of the government officials that Aafia is an
American citizen. She is a Pakistani and never applied for American citizenship;
she was residing there on student visa. So, it becomes important for the Pakistani
nation to struggle for her and also an obligatory duty of Pakistani government
to secure her freedom. Since the crime of her abduction was committed by the
Government of Pakistan, it is their responsibility to undo thisgrave wrong.
Another misconception is about her professional degree that she was a neurologist
or nuclear physicist. It is totally wrong that her specialization has to do anything
with nuclear sciences or medical sciences. She was a PhD doctor but her subject
was education. The title of her thesis was “learning through imitation”. What is sad
to say is that such baseless lies are not only propagated by Americans rather our
own Pakistani people help spread these lies . We fear that when daughters of
the nation are sold and left to rot in foreign jails, its a deed inviting disasters and
catastrophes. Our inaction upon this issue of national prestige is sad.
You see former US attorney general Ramsey Clark, who is eighty years old now,
says this is the worst case of individual injustice that he has seen. He feels that
unity of Muslims all over the world towards this injustice may be the first step to
world peace. Otherwise their indifferent silence toward this single case could lead
to the destruction of the whole Muslim world ultimately.
Payam e Haya: As you mentioned that Aafia’s doctorate was in
Education so what were her plans about the nation in this regard?
Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui:
She devised an educational curriculum which was meant
to enhance the learning skills of children during educational games and activities.
A 10 year plan that would produce. graduates who were not only hafiz of Quran but
well versed in the practical applications of the Quran in differnet sciences and daily
life. This was a curriculum that if had been applied 11 years ago, today our youth
would be confident and able to face the challenges faced today. Unfortunately that
disappeared along with her belongings, documents and computer. It seems they