“The court will frame charges against five family members on April 2” in connection with illegal entry and residency in Pakistan, Muhammad Aamir told AFP.
If the women are convicted, they are liable to be deported or imprisoned, Aamir added. Under Pakistani law, the maximum sentence is five years.
The court gave the women copies of the charges on Monday, the lawyer said.
Bin Laden’s two Saudi and one Yemeni widows, together with their children, have been living under the protection of the authorities in Pakistan since the al Qaeda chief was found and killed by US Navy SEALs on May 2, 2011.
Pakistan has always said it would look after bin Laden’s family until they could be repatriated to their homelands.
COMMENTS (6)
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The government continue to fool the people. How can you charge them without charging ISI and Army. Why government not allowing the media to meet them, that is a very big secret.
This is destruction ladies and gentlemen. Such a script.
Charge them for what? For a deed they had no control over? For tagging along with their husband? For whose consumption is this drama being played out? For the world at large? They are more interested in identifying and charging the people that helped them get there and stay put for 5 years. Is that something that the Pakistani state can do?
Or is this drama being played out for the Pakistani people? That's even more foolish. For all it will do is inflame passions on the streets, something that the Pakistani state can ill afford. It would be more advisable to put the energy to good use and solve some genuine problems that are forever begging to be solved. And for god's sake spare the Pakistani people further ignominy.
Pakistan cannot send them back to their countries as once they are out of the country, they shall reveal many inconvenient truth. They cannot be left free to live in Pakistan also as someone may get to them and get the truth from them. So, it is just a way to keep them confined through deceitful use of law.
The word "pathetic" comes to mind. How many hundreds, thousands, millions of illegal immigrants are walking around Pakistan. Why not go into the tribal territories and try arresting some of those thugs who are carrying AK's?
The court should also charge Millions of Illegal immigrants from the neighboring countries as well as rest of the world, who are engaged in destabilizing Pakistan.