An absconder and the one who gives him refuge are both criminals in the eyes of law.
WISCONSIN, MADISON, US: This is with reference to Lt-Gen (r) Asad Durrani’s article “The second oldest profession” (May 31). The writer mentions that Osama bin Laden was executed without undergoing a trial. The question of trying Bin Laden in a court did not arise as he never made himself available to any law enforcement agency. In technical terms, he was an absconder. An absconder and the one who gives him refuge are both criminals in the eyes of law. The only options in the law for such absconders are to catch them either dead or alive.
Now coming to Dr Shakil Afridi’s case, I am very doubtful if the Americans really care about his fate. He has already served their purpose and is now just a useful stick to beat Pakistan with diplomatically.
Rajendra Kalkhande
Published in The Express Tribune, May 31st, 2012.
