The Hindu : Front Page : Haneef’s wife meets Union Minister

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Friday, Jul 20, 2007
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Haneef’s wife meets Union Minister

Parvathi Menon

Firdous Arshiya assured of all Government help; doctor’s cousin likely to get visa to Australia

— PHOTOS: AP, sampath kumar

Agony and hope: Mohamed Haneef in the back of a prison van as it was being driven out of the Brisbane Watch House on Wednesday. (Bottom): Haneef’s wife Firdous Arshia with Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed in Bangalore on Thursday.

Bangalore: The wife of Mohammad Haneef, detained in Australia as a terror suspect, met Union Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed on Thursday night. The Minister is here on an official visit.

Mr. Ahamed told The Hindu that he assured Dr. Haneef’s wife Firdous Arshiya and uncle Iqbal Ahmed Siddiqui that the Government would do everything possible to help the family get justice. The Ministry of External Affairs is he lping a cousin of the doctor to travel to Australia.

“I expect the visa for Dr. Haneef’s cousin approved on Friday. It is the duty of our Government to ensure the welfare of all Indians residing abroad,” he said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh conveyed over telephone India’s concern to Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer. He asked that Dr. Haneef be treated ‘fairly and justly under the Australian law, Mr. Ahamed said.

“We are watching the situation and our High Commission in Canberra has sought consular access for the second time to Dr. Haneef.”

“Impeccable record”

Mr. Ahamed said the Government of India was “emboldened” by the ruling of the Australian magistrate while granting bail to Dr. Haneef. The magistrate, quoting the Queensland institute where Dr. Haneef worked, referred to the doctor’s “impeccable record.”

“The Haneef case has not made anyone happy; not the media, not the legal fraternity and not the 2,00,000 strong Indian community in Australia. We hope that under the Australian law, justice will be meted out to Dr. Haneef.”

The Minister said India had always firmly opposed terrorism, and noted that not one of India’s 150 million Muslims was a member of the Al Qaeda.

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