The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) is scheduled to hear on Tuesday a case involving contempt of court proceedings initiated against the prime minister and members of the federal cabinet in connection with Dr Aafia Siddiqui's case. A two-member bench, led by Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan, will take up the federal government's petition challenging the contempt proceedings launched by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The contempt case originated from proceedings before a single-member IHC bench, which had initiated action against the prime minister and federal ministers regarding efforts for Dr Aafia Siddiqui's release and repatriation. The federal government subsequently approached the FCC against the IHC order. On February 11, 2026, the constitutional court restrained the IHC from proceeding further with the contempt case against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and members of the federal cabinet.
Earlier, on May 16, 2025, IHC Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan allowed Dr Fowzia Siddiqui to amend her petition seeking the release of her sister, Dr Aafia Siddiqui. Through the amended petition, Dr Fowzia requested the court to declare that pursuing Dr Aafia's release and return to Pakistan is a constitutional obligation of the federal government. In its response, the federal government urged the IHC to withdraw permission granted for the amendment, arguing that the matter falls within the domain of foreign policy and international law.
However, the IHC later issued contempt notices to the prime minister and cabinet members for failing to submit a report explaining the government's refusal to sign an amicus brief and support legal proceedings in the United States aimed at securing relief for Dr Aafia. The government further argued that the proposed amendments sought to reopen issues that had already been conclusively decided and that such a move would exceed judicial authority and violate settled legal principles.
The federal government also informed the IHC that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had written to the US president in October 2024 seeking clemency for Dr Aafia Siddiqui. It added that a high-level delegation had been dispatched to the United States to explore the possibility of a prisoner transfer arrangement, but US authorities did not agree to such proposals. The FCC is expected to examine the legality of the contempt proceedings and the broader constitutional questions arising from the case.
