The Islamabad High Court (IHC) recently held hearings regarding the release and repatriation of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, issuing a show-cause notice to the federal cabinet, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, for contempt of court. The federal government had approached the Supreme Court to halt the proceedings related to her release case. Despite these legal challenges, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured Dr. Siddiqui's sister of the government's commitment to securing her release and pledged all possible legal and diplomatic support. Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar reaffirmed his long-standing commitment to Dr. Siddiqui's release, clarifying that his recent remarks were taken out of context. However, Dar also stated that Dr. Siddiqui's 86-year sentence by a U.S. Kangaroo Court was lawful through due process, raising questions about the consistency of the government's previous demands for her release. Historically, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had raised the issue with then U.S. President Barack Obama in 2015, demanding Dr. Siddiqui's release. Separately, an Anti-Terrorism Court in Faisalabad sentenced 108 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including prominent figures such as Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, to 10 years imprisonment in connection with the May 9 terrorism cases. Some PTI leaders, including Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi, and Khayal Castro, were acquitted in these proceedings. The court ruled that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) would not be applied as the sanction orders were defective. Opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate have been sentenced, with additional sentences expected, while opposition leaders in the Punjab Assembly have already been disqualified. The ruling also affected the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.