Pakistan’s efforts to secure the release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani national imprisoned in the United States, have been unsuccessful thus far, according to Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar. Dar made this statement during an international conference titled “China 75: Development, Transformation, and Global Leadership”.

Dar acknowledged that negotiations with the US government have not yielded the desired outcome. Meanwhile, he praised the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a “splendid gift” from China to Pakistan. The minister expressed Pakistan’s commitment to further developing CPEC to enhance cooperation in agriculture, industrial growth, renewable energy, and other sectors.

CPEC has strengthened Pakistan’s energy infrastructure, alleviating load-shedding issues, Dar noted. He also mentioned that Pakistan is working to materialize China’s offer to send 1,000 Pakistani students to China for agricultural technology training.

Aafia Siddiqui, a neuroscientist, is serving an 86-year sentence in the US for attempted murder and other charges. Her case has sparked tensions between Pakistan and the US, with many Pakistanis viewing her imprisonment as unjust.