Pakistan 'punishes' family of doctor who helped US to snare Bin Laden
Mar 29, 2017 11:36:42 #
Pakistan 'punishes' family of doctor who helped US to snare Bin Laden
Pakistan has refused to issue identity cards to the family of the jailed doctor who helped the CIA to find Osama bin Laden, as relatives appeal to President Trump to secure his release.
Shakil Afridi has been in jail for more than five years after his f**e hepatitis v******tion programme helped the CIA to track down the al-Qaeda leader at his compound in Abbottabad in 2011.
His ID card has expired and a lawyer for the family said that his wife and two children had been prevented from renewing theirs. Without them the family cannot get passports or v**e and the children cannot enrol in a school.
The family's plight has become a cause celebre in Washington and the latest move by Pakistan will be seen as a snub to American calls for the doctor's release.
It also presents a problem for Donald Trump, who claimed last year that Dr Afridi would be freed in "to minutes" if he became president.
"I would tell them, 'Let him out', because we give a lot of aid to Pakistan."
Mr Trump told Fox News last year, adding that Pakistan "takes advantage like everyone else". Islamabad dismissed the remarks as "ignorant".
Dr Afridi's family have taken Mr Trump at his word and appealed to the White House to secure his release. "We request President Trump intervene quickly in this matter in a way that does not harm Pakistan-US relations", his brother Jamil, said.
Dr Afridi was arrested soon after the raid on Bin Laden's hideout and was charged with treason in 2011 and jailed for 33 years. His family say that he was tortured in custody.
In 2013 his conviction was over turned and a retrial ordered but he was then charged with murder of a patient in his care. In 2015 his former lawyer was murdered by the Taliban.
The country still seethes at the violation of its sovereignty by US Navy Seals who k**led Bin Laden and Dr Afridi is reviled for aiding the hunt. "Dr Afridi may be a hero for the US but a t*****r for Pakistan. He will not be handed over to the US", one interior ministry official said.
Last year the US threatened to cut aid and Dr Afridi's sentence was reduced by ten years, but he could be a bargaining chip for Islamabad if President Trump takes a tough line on Pakistan's alleged support for militant groups.
Qamar Nadim, his lawyer, said: "Why are they punishing the entire family? It's not justice, its cruelty".
Hugh Tomlinson
Haroon Janjua,
Islamabad
The Times Newspaper
Pakistan has refused to issue identity cards to the family of the jailed doctor who helped the CIA to find Osama bin Laden, as relatives appeal to President Trump to secure his release.
Shakil Afridi has been in jail for more than five years after his f**e hepatitis v******tion programme helped the CIA to track down the al-Qaeda leader at his compound in Abbottabad in 2011.
His ID card has expired and a lawyer for the family said that his wife and two children had been prevented from renewing theirs. Without them the family cannot get passports or v**e and the children cannot enrol in a school.
The family's plight has become a cause celebre in Washington and the latest move by Pakistan will be seen as a snub to American calls for the doctor's release.
It also presents a problem for Donald Trump, who claimed last year that Dr Afridi would be freed in "to minutes" if he became president.
"I would tell them, 'Let him out', because we give a lot of aid to Pakistan."
Mr Trump told Fox News last year, adding that Pakistan "takes advantage like everyone else". Islamabad dismissed the remarks as "ignorant".
Dr Afridi's family have taken Mr Trump at his word and appealed to the White House to secure his release. "We request President Trump intervene quickly in this matter in a way that does not harm Pakistan-US relations", his brother Jamil, said.
Dr Afridi was arrested soon after the raid on Bin Laden's hideout and was charged with treason in 2011 and jailed for 33 years. His family say that he was tortured in custody.
In 2013 his conviction was over turned and a retrial ordered but he was then charged with murder of a patient in his care. In 2015 his former lawyer was murdered by the Taliban.
The country still seethes at the violation of its sovereignty by US Navy Seals who k**led Bin Laden and Dr Afridi is reviled for aiding the hunt. "Dr Afridi may be a hero for the US but a t*****r for Pakistan. He will not be handed over to the US", one interior ministry official said.
Last year the US threatened to cut aid and Dr Afridi's sentence was reduced by ten years, but he could be a bargaining chip for Islamabad if President Trump takes a tough line on Pakistan's alleged support for militant groups.
Qamar Nadim, his lawyer, said: "Why are they punishing the entire family? It's not justice, its cruelty".
Hugh Tomlinson
Haroon Janjua,
Islamabad
The Times Newspaper
Mar 30, 2017 06:57:10 #
richosob
Loc: Lambertville, MI
Leicaflex wrote:
Pakistan 'punishes' family of doctor who helped US... (show quote)
In obama's rush to bring all these Muslims into our country I don't understand why he turned his back on this doctor. It makes no sense to me, but a lot that obama did made no sense.
Rich
Mar 30, 2017 15:03:46 #
Leicaflex wrote:
Pakistan 'punishes' family of doctor who helped US... (show quote)
This pretty much shows what kind of "Ally" Pakistan is to the US. Now the US owes the doctor and his family their complete help and aid !!!
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