In a recent statement to the media Interior Minister Rehmen Malik stated that Zardari had “taken up” the issue of her release with Robert Gates.

However the U.S. Government’s Justice Department has spared no expense in trying to ensure that Siddiqui spends the next 20 years of her life in prison.

The US Government has a team of their best prosecuting attorney’s working on the case. There have been as many as 8-10 Government attorneys seen conferring about the case during the trial. They have been aggressive throughout, filing every motion possible to secure a conviction.

The U.S Government also brought two Afghan nationals to America even giving one permanent immigration status and money to establish himself in the U.S.

Moreover, the Pakistan Government has not been able to ensure that her family and attorneys have free and open access to her. Nor have they been able to stop the humiliating strip searches that Siddiqui must endure every day. Her brother has not been able to see her since she was brought to the U.S. He’s been allowed a few very restricted phone calls, but that’s it.

Federal Judge, Richard Berman, has also ruled on the side of the prosecution in nearly every motion. One of the most surprising, say legal experts, is when he allowed statements that Dr. Siddiqui made while at a hospital in Bagram to be used against her although she had not been “Mirandized” This refers to the Miranda Laws that direct law enforcement officials to identify themselves to an arrested individual and to advise that individual of their rights, including the right an attorney.

This ruling came a day after Pakistani Ambassador Hussain Haqqani, had a private meeting with Judge Richard Berman and attorneys from both sides, which he described as “positive”.

Dr. Siddiqui was not only “not Mirandized”, but she also had all 4 limbs tied to a bed, was recovering from surgery, on heavy medication, sleep deprived, and most importantly under 24 hour surveillance by FBI officials who failed to identify themselves as such when she made the alleged statements. According to Siddiqui one of the FBI officials “tortured” her and thus she did not speak to him at all. The other, a female agent, pretended to be her friend. These are the same agents who testified against her in the trial. Despite that, Siddiqui was able to give context to the statements she made and continued to maintain her innocence.

Berman, has also sustained a majority of prosecution objections and overruled a majority of defense objections; even those that follow normal standards of jurisprudence. Although Siddiqui is not on trial for terrorism, the judge has allowed inuendo and questioning that suggest exactly that.

Many of her supporters have also been raising questions about her defense team. “I was worried when I heard that the defense was only going to have 1-½ days of testimony.” said an African-American Muslim supporter who has been at the court every day, “But sister Aafia saved the day”. However, she testified against the advice of her defense team.

The defense did not ask their client any questions about her secret detention or her fears that her kids would be harmed during their redirect. This would have explained her motivations for wanting to escape which the prosecution has been using as a sign of her guilt. Human Rights observers who have also been at the trial everyday were hoping for more information about her detention and some clues as to what happened during the 5 years she was “missing“. Although the U.S has deemed that classified information, Dr. Siddiqui seemed ready to talk about everything.

The defense did not follow-up with her on this subject. Although they may have had very sound legal reasoning behind that decision, it was not apparent to Siddiqui’s lay supporters who felt that her references to her “secret detention” helped give a plausible explanation to the events. Speculation on both sides of this case runs wild, but there are people who wonder if the defense is tight lipped on this issue because of the Pakistan government’s role in the possible tragedy. It is, after all, the Pakistani Government that has hired these attorneys.

As Dr. Fowzia, Aaffia Siddiqui’s, sister stated in a recent interview, it is ironic that the people who imprisoned and detained Aafia are now giving her a “fair” trial, and the people who kidnapped her are now paying for her defense. Though the family expressed appreciation for any help they get from anyone, if Aafia Siddiqui is acquitted it be due, in large part, to her moving testimony on her own behalf; and the compassion of jury members who may have the courage to believe her.

The Pakistani public’s demand to know what happened to Aafia Siddiqui will only grow with time. The Pakistani Government ought to establish a truth and reconciliation commission so that full disclosure is allowed in her case and the open cases of all “the disappeared” . This is the only way to ensure that it does not happen again.

The year of 2009 will be remembered as the deadliest year in the history of Pakistan. Nearly a hundred terrorists blew themselves up, thousands of innocent people lost their lives and thousands more were brutally injured during the year.

The statistics also show that 2009 witnessed over 33 percent more attacks than 2008. Fifty-nine bombers struck in 2008 and 56 in 2007. The number of similar attacks was seven in 2006, four in 2005, seven in 2004 and two each in 2003 and 2002.

Throughout the country 2,257 civilians and 1,004 security personnel were killed in terrorist attacks. The reported number of militants killed during the year was over 8,000.

NWFP was the worst hit – 49 suicide attacks in 2009. During the same period, 22 suicide bombers succeeded to carry out attacks in various parts of Punjab and Islamabad.

Seven suicide bombings rocked the federally administered tribal areas (Fata), while two bombers struck in Balochistan.

We could have said Sindh was the only exception- but forty people were killed and scores wounded in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on December 28^th when a suicide bomber struck country’s largest procession of Shia Muslims on the holiest day in their calendar.

January, July and September were comparatively peaceful. Nine suicide bombings were carried out across the country during the current month, nine each in October and November, four in September, six in August, four in July, nine in June, seven in May, six in April, seven each in March and February and three in January.

In the most horrendous of these bombings, 177 people, including a large number of women and children, were killed Oct 28 in a suicide attack at a crowded market in Peshawar, the NWFP capital.

The bombing at Parade Lane Mosque in Rawalpindi during the first week of December claimed the lives of several senior military officials, including a major general, two brigadiers and two colonels. The only son of the Corps Commander Peshawar was among several children of the army officers who lost their lives in this attack.

Several high-profile figures lost their lives in 2009 includes – two members of the NWFP Assembly, Dr Shamsher Ali Khan, killed in a suicide bombing in Swat last month and Mr. Alamzeb Khan,  killed in a roadside bomb attack on his car in Peshawar in January.

NWFP Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour survived a second suicide attack on March 11, which left six people including two suicide bombers dead.

Even the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency was not spared. The suicide bombers blasted a vehicle loaded with 100 kilograms of explosives near offices of the capital city police officer (CCPO) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in Lahore on March 11. In the above attack 27 persons were killed and 326 others were injured. An ISI colonel and 15 police officials were among those killed.

An attack on an ISI facility in Peshawar in November killed 13 people and a similar attack in the Punjab town of Multan claimed 12 lives.

The suicide attack on the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar on June 9 and the huge blast in Soekarno Square on October 9 were the two other deadly blasts. Over 17 people were killed and over 60 wounded in the bombing in Peshawar’s lone five-star hotel, prompting foreigners and diplomats to leave the provincial capital. The blast in Soekarno Square left over 55 people killed and many wounded. It was later removed from the list of suicide bombings, and classified as a car bomb.

On June 5, a suicide bomber killed 49 worshippers, including 12 children, at a mosque in a remote village of Dir Upper District. Dozens more were injured as a young man with explosives fastened to his body exploded minutes before the Friday gathering in the Hayagay Sharqi village.

Two successive blasts killed around 50 people and injured more than 100 at the crowded Moon Market in Allama Iqbal Town of Lahore in Punjab. The two bombs exploded with an interval of 30 seconds.

Anti-Taliban military operations began in the NWFP in April 2009- when President Zardari was in Washington DC to meet President Obama and other American representatives. Within six months the military had managed to push the militants into their strongholds in South Waziristan.

With the armed forces turning to this region in October, the suicide attacks were seen as a last desperate bid to stave off the military assault.

On September 25 the US Senate unanimously passed the revised version of the Kerry-Lugar bill to triple non-military aid to Pakistan to $1.5 billion per annum, pledging America’s long term commitment to its key ally against extremism. But this backfired!

We were in New York covering President Zardari’s activities at the UN general assembly and a grand meeting with ‘Friends of Democratic Pakistan.’ President Obama announced that the Senate had passed the bill during this meeting to a thunderous applause.

But the celebration did not last long. A correspondent of an English language daily newspaper received a call from a Pakistani Brigadier- I was standing so close that I could literally hear the conversation. “Email check ker laoo. Wadi problem hay adday wich,” {check your email. There are lots of problem} the voice on the end told my peer in Punjabi. This journalist promised his caller that it will be the lead story in his paper “tussi fikar hee na karo,” {you don’t have to worry}. After he got off the phone he showed me the email on his blackberry. The rest is history. Highly paid Pakistani journalists raised hell for four weeks before completely abandoning this issue.

And, then there was the NRO fiasco! This time around the same judge who was hired to the top Supreme Court job by a military dictator decided to weaken the democratic setup. President Zardari found the ground swept away from under his feet when the Supreme Court invalidated the 2007 National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) on Dec 16. The ordinance had granted immunity from corruption charges to his slain wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, himself, along with  hundreds of politicians and bureaucrats, enabling many to return home from exile.

The NRO, issued by former president Pervez Musharraf, had scrapped all corruption cases against politicians and bureaucrats filed between January 1986 and October 1999 on the grounds that they may have been politically motivated. The court has now ruled that the cases would be restored.

The entire year of 2009 evokes distressing memories of terrorism, bloodshed, deceit and conspiracies against the people of Pakistan.

ECONOMY

Interestingly enough, 2009 was a better year for Pakistan rupees than 2008. Forex analysis website, Dollars Magazine reports that the Pak rupee weakened 6.17 percent in 2009 after losing 22.12 percent in 2008. For Pakistan, the lesser loss was the good news of 2009.

A note on Facebook from another Pakistani journalist Beena Sarwar proclaiming  that “We shall overcome” leaves me optimistic that 2010 will bring peace and stability.  But, it will take the Pakistani people to rise up and demand that all state officials and institutions respond effectively to this crisis and begin making the welfare and interests of its citizens an urgent priority.

Ibrahim Sajid Malick (ISM): What were you doing in Geneva?

Wajid Shamsul Hasan (WSH):  I was officially assigned by the Pakistan Foreign Office to accompany NAB Prosecutor General Dr Danishwar Malik to Geneva. Dr Danishwar Malik was dispatched from NAB Islamabad to go to Geneva to collect the cartons lying with the Swiss lawyers.

ISM: What documents did you pick up from the attorney and why?

WSH:  It was the NAB Prosecutor General who received the closed cartons in my presence and that of Mr. Aftab Khokher, Deputy Permanent Representative at the Pakistan’s Geneva Mission. Since the boxes were closed I do not know the nature of things inside the boxes.

ISM: Why did you not respond to Geo stringer?

WSH: I was intercepted by two hoodlum looking guys in a Geneva street. They did not identify themselves as such and I was not obliged to respond to thug-looking strangers.

ISM: Is it your intent to destroy these documents? If not, can they be used against President Zardari? Are you willing to make them available to Pakistani judicial system?

WSH:  Boxes sent in sealed diplomatic bags from Geneva by the Pakistan’s Permanent Representative’s office are in the safe custody of Pakistan High Commission in London. These sealed diplomatic bags containing the boxes were inspected by the NAB Prosecutor General Dr. Danishwar Malik on his arrival in London from Geneva. There was no intent and there is no question of either tampering with them or destroying them. They will be shipped as and when NAB makes arrangements. As regards their

ISM: NAB Chairmain Naveed Ahsan has asked that you send the Swiss court record of cases against President Zardari as soon as possible through diplomatic bag and special courier. Will you comply?

WSH: Yes. Those boxes lying in the Pakistan Embassy in London are NAB’s property. I have requested the NAB authorities to assign Dr Danishwar Malik who brought them here, to come over to London, collect them after inspection and conform if these were subjected to any tampering or foul play as was alleged by a section of Pakistani media. I have requested that either NAB Prosecutor General Dr Danishwar Malik or any person authorized by NAB is sent to London as a special courier to inspect those boxes. Pakistan High Commission will make arrangements accordingly for their shipment in the same sealed diplomatic bags they were sent to London from Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan’s Permanent mission in Geneva.

ISM: Did you benefit from NRO? If not, why is your name in the list of NRO beneficiaries?

WSH: I did not benefit from NRO. It was clarified by the Minister of State for Law Mr. Afzal Sindhu, that in his press conference while announcing the list of NRO beneficiaries my name was mentioned inadvertently as a mistaken identity since a name similar to mine was in the list. My position was repeatedly clarified in the media.

However, I regret that despite clarifications a particular group in the media continues to mention my name as a beneficiary although its channel Geo was the first to highlight Law Minister’s clarification. Obviously this could mean there is a sinister method behind this madness. And, the conspiracy to destabilize the democratic government is gaining strength.

ISM: Do you know a gentleman name Naseer Malik in Geneva? Why was he so interested in embarrassing you?

WSH:  Most certainly not.

ISM: Why do you think ISI’s Joint Counterintelligence Bureau rep who works within your premises provided your travel information to Geo’s stringer?

WSH: I do not think that any one working in my Mission was involved in ‘leaking’ the information of my travel. Any way my visit was not clandestine or mysterious as everything was on record.

ISM: Why were you framed? Who gains from it?

WSH:  I feel that I have been made a victim of a scandalous campaign by Bhutto-haters with the sole objective of targeting President Zardari. By hitting me they think they weaken Mr. Zardari.

ISM: Why do you think Pakistanis who support democracy are muzzled?

WSH: It is a game of lethal perceptions let loose in a section of the media with an agenda of their own to destabilize and derail democracy.  Since they could not manage an electoral defeat to keep PPP out of power, they now want democracy to be murdered judicially. This is amply reflected in their comments that whatever the decision of the Supreme Court, the recent ‘disclosures’ by the media shall have to be taken notice of. I am confident that Pakistan’s judiciary has come of age through toughest trial; it won’t play to the media gallery and shall act on merit. President Zardari has been a victim of political vendetta for more than ten years. The pudding of vendetta has been tasted by the Chief Justice himself who was made a similar victim of reference of fabricated charges by President Musharraf. Had there been no change in government General Musharraf would have made him rot in detention. He was brutally maligned by that section of the media who dance to the tunes played by their masters who had supported Musharraf in his action against the Chief Justice.

Pakistan’s real rulers- the men in khakhi uniforms with stars on their shoulders and all type of fancy color combo badges on their chest, have decided to muzzle the nation again. Because of the direct orders from their American masters this time around they are being subtle about this sudden change.

Instead of removing the elected President Asif Ali Zardari in the middle of the night, they have clipped his wings in broad day light. The Pakistani President practically has no power left. His office is just symbolic; his sway is meaningless.

After the Kerry-Lugar Bill fiasco, the Pakistani envoy in Washington DC, Hussain Haqqani, was ridiculed and sidelined. As a representative of President Asif Ali Zardari he, like the president, has lost influence.

I have been critical of Ambassador Haqqani as well.  I had questioned how he could reconcile the intellectual Haqqani who has written one of the most credible books on Pakistan’s recent history, “Between Mosque and Military”, a detailed expose on Pakistan’s military mafia and how they have used Mullahs and mosques; and, the Ambassador Haqqani who must represent Pakistan’s civilian government along with that same army.  My fears that you can’t reconcile darkness and light, truth and lies, monsters and victims, proved true.

The second victim of the ISI onslaught was Pakistan’s envoy in London, Wajid Shamsul Hassan.

Many TV journalists including yours truly were made aware that something big was about to happen in Geneva. They were told by army types working in embassies around Europe and the US that their all expense paid trip to Geneva will be a career changing story.

Army and ISI representatives in London, Geneva, Washington DC, and Bern were very actively cajoling credible TV journalists to visit Geneva for an ‘on the spot coverage,’ without explaining what it was for.  When no professional journalist agreed, they brought an unknown stringer for Jang from the Italian city of Carpi on an all expense paid trip to Geneva. Jawaid Kanwal- the stringer had never done a TV news package and the Geo team in Karachi assembled, edited and produced the entire segment with the b-roll that he had sent.

The gentleman who was the liaison in Europe is a known mid level ISI representative in Geneva who is also an office bearer of PML-N, Naseer Malik (owns and operates a local liquor store). He called TV correspondents several times to persuade them to come over with a camera person. Naseer Malik knew exactly what time Wajid Shamsul Hassan will arrive; he knew what type of car he will be using; he knew the license plate of the car.

The stringer, Jawaid Kanwal, who claims to have a PhD in photography from University of Lahore ( I checked again and no one offers a PhD in photography in Pakistan), walked away famous and wealthier. He simply fell pray to a campaign launched by ISI’s Joint Counterintelligence Bureau. This group of spies is responsible for the surveillance of Pakistani diplomats abroad.

I am not sure if Wajid Shamsul Hasan is guilty of any crime or not; I feel jury is still out. If he has breached law and if the story is accurate than I hope he will resign and face the legal consequences. But I condemn the way he was framed.

In Washington DC and London, diplomatic missions provide an ideal cover and ISI centers are located on the embassy premises. These are the ones that we know of.

But outside the premises of these embassies, ISI operatives often find good cover working closely with the Pakistani community as businessmen. Naseer Malik is a great example. Beside him several very suspicious characters present themselves as journalist because this garb provides freedom of movement. No wonder during press conferences in Geneva whenever Pakistan’s army rule and human rights issues are questioned Naseer Malik is always there in the first row- to disrupt and derail the conversation.

Pakistan’s Mission to the United Nations in Geneva under the leadership of Zameer Akram was front and center in framing Wajid Shamsul Hassan. Zameer Akram is brother of the infamous Munir Akram – former Pakistan diplomat to the United Nations accused of assaulting a mistress in his New York apartment.

Sources in Intelligence Bureau (civilian intelligence organization of Pakistan) admit that they were blindsided by ISI’s  “Operation Kill Democracy,” but now they have sufficient evidence as to how the media was used to embarrass an envoy and Pakistan’s democratically elected president.

In his many speeches throughout the U.S. former President Pervez Musharraf has been vociferously defending the army and the ISI arguing that they do what all national security apparti do in every country. If that is the case, they at least do so under the guise and sanction of a democratically elected government.  In fact, during Musharraf’s Presidency Pakistan was often ridiculed and maligned for its lack of democratic institutions, frequently characterized as a banana republic; a charge that Musharraf was completely ineffective in responding to.  

If Pakistan is to redeem itself in the world and defend its sovereignty from a position of power and credibility it can only do so through democratic institutions. Those who actively seek to undermine those institutions are the real threat to our national security. Indeed, Pakistan’s fragile democracy is still being held hostage by the Army. Hopefully Pakistani people will rise to the occasion, and push the men in boots back to the barracks.  We are now approaching a new era of world governance and without a viable democracy Pakistan will not even have a seat at the table.