Abbottabad commission: ‘CIA doctor’ faces treason charge

Inquiry commission lifts travel curbs on Bin Laden family.


Irfan Ghauri October 06, 2011

ISLAMABAD: The Abbottabad commission investigating the May 2 US raid that killed Osama bin Laden directed the government on Thursday to institute a high treason case against a doctor who allegedly collaborated with American intelligence agencies in locating the world’s most wanted man in Abbottabad, and also lifted travel restrictions on the al Qaeda chief’s family.

Dr Shakeel Afridi, a public servant of the health department of Fata, is accused of running a fictitious test campaign in Abbottabad in order to conclusively determine the biological kinship of Osama’s children to confirm his presence in the compound.

It was widely reported that the US had been lobbying for his release, which included a call from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to President Asif Ali Zardari. According to media reports, the president turned down the request.

“In view of the record and evidence … the commission is of the view that prima facie, a case of conspiracy against the state of Pakistan and high treason is made out against him,” said the statement.

“A case under relevant law should be registered.”

In regards to Osama’s family – in Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) custody since the operation – the commission lifted travel restrictions after recording their statements. The ISI had taken custody of Bin Laden’s widows, two Saudis and one Yemeni, and around 10 of their children after the May 2 operation and the commission had barred authorities from handing them over to any other country without its permission.

(Read: Abbottabad commission questions Bin Laden widows, daughters)

During the past few days, the commission also summoned ISI officials, including its chief Lt Gen Shuja Pasha. The commission said that it conducted “an exhaustive interview” of Pasha to understand his views.

Chairman of the commission Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal also ordered the handing over of the Osama compound to the district administration “for disposal in accordance with relevant law.”

The compound where Osama and his family lived, some reports suggesting for around 5 years, was sealed by military authorities. According to records, it was owned by a man registered with an address of a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa but investigations revealed he used a fake identity card.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2011.

COMMENTS (41)

ZUBAIR | 12 years ago | Reply

This Doctor managed fake vaccination campaign in Abbotabad. Are the children of people of abbotabad not Human?? Where are Human Rights activists?? Why don't they speak against this doctor? I wish and pray that it does not happen and it did not happen. But if some innocent child dies as a result of that fake vaccination, then this doctor should not be punished? Then this doctor should not face the charges of capital punishment??

@ Malik | 12 years ago | Reply The wives could have been coerced - had the lives of their children threatened if they do not tell the LIE - No Osama in Pakistan. The US govt would have produced his body - America is the home of the 3 second TV propaganda news clip. America loves Video. Funny that the US Navy Seals who allegedly killed Osama, were killed themselves two weeks later in Afghanistan to complete the cover up. The War on Terror is Fake. Pakistan must execute any and all traitors.
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