Dr Aafia's immediate release demanded, NA told

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Babar Awan Friday informed the National Assembly that Government had demanded of the US to take immediate action for the release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui.
Responding to a point of order raised by PML-N MNA Memona Hashmi wherein she asked the government to inform the House about the latest position in the missing persons’ issue, the minister said that the matter of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui had been lingering since previous government and recovery of his son was a major breakthrough in the case.
He further said that it was on record that Premier Gilani had taken up the issue with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her recent visit and urged her to take steps for the early release of Dr. Aafia. He further said the Government had offered US $ 1 million to the relatives of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui to engage an attorney for her case in the US. He assured the House that Government was in touch with the family of Dr. Aafia and would leave no stone unturned for her early release.
As the National Assembly started debate on law and order in the country, the only speaker of the day PML-N MNA Tahira Aurangzeb said that terrorism was an issue inherited by the Government by the previous regime.
She said that a neighbouring country was involved in the incidents of terrorism in Pakistan. “India is involved in most of the subversive activities in Pakistan and we should inform all our friendly countries about this fact and take up the matter very forcefully”, she added.
Tahira Aurangzeb said that some US leaders claimed that Osama bin Laden was in Pakistan, but it was baseless and frivolous claim. Actually he (Osama) was in United States, she claimed.
Responding to a calling attention notice, Minister of State for Interior Tasneem Qureshi informed the House that provincial governments were directed to fully implement judicial reforms regarding welfare of the prisoners, particularly the minors, in jails. Mrs. Yasmeen Rehman and others have moved the calling attention notice.