Three US lawyers paid Rs180 million in Aafia case

[Naveed Yaseen]

THE federal government on Monday informed the Lahore High Court that Rs 180 million had been paid to three American lawyers for defending Dr Aafia Siddiqui in the US courts prior to the LHC’s restraining order in this regard.

Deputy Attorney General Naveed Inayat Malik informed the court that Rs 50 million had been paid to each of the three attorneys while Rs 30 million were allocated for administrative purposes. He said the amount was released to certain lawyers on the suggestion of Aafia’s brother who was residing in America. After hearing the arguments, the court directed the federal government to submit details of the payment and to reveal the names of lawyers by August 31.

On previous hearings, the court had issued contempt notices to the ministries of interior and foreign affairs for releasing $2 million to three American lawyers for defending Dr Aafia in US courts, in violation of its order.

The contempt petition was filed by Barrister Iqbal Jafree, submitting that the LHC on August 12, had restrained the federal government from releasing the said amount to the US lawyers for pleading the case of Dr Aafia.

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