Samiullah Afridi flees to Dubai after receiving threats

Advocate Samiullah Afridi, lawyer for Dr Shakil Afridi, had received threats from militants to kill his family.

PESHAWAR: Dr Shakil Afridi's advocate Samiullah Afridi has fled to Dubai on Wednesday after receiving threats from militants, Express News reported.

Lawyer Samiullah Afridi went abroad after militants threatened to blow up his car and kill his family, a relative said.

"Militants warned him to stop pleading the case or else he and his family would face the consequences."

Samiullah Afridi is the second member of Dr Shakil Afridi's legal team to flee following militant threats.

Former Khyber Agency surgeon Dr Afridi had allegedly helped the CIA track down Osama bin Laden. The FATA Tribunal, after hearing from Dr Afridi's counsel and the opposition, had reserved the decision on a review petition filed by the ex-surgeon.

It will be announced on December 18.

Dr Shakil’s counsels, advocates Samiullah Afridi and Qamar Nadeem, had informed the tribunal that the 33-year sentence of their client was set aside by the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) commissioner and fresh trials should be conducted in the court of the political agent of Khyber Agency.

While talking to the media, advocate Afridi had said, “Dr Shakil Afridi was charged in a murder case filed by a resident of Khyber Agency. The trial of that case will be held inside the prison on December 20. If this case can be heard in the prison, surely the trial to be heard by the PA can also be held in the prison.”