Dr Shakil Afridi jailed for ‘militant links’
Dr Afridi was last week sentenced to 33 years in prison and found guilty of treason under tribal justice.
A copy of the May 24 verdict said evidence that the accused acted “with other foreign intelligence agencies” could not be taken into account “for the lack of jurisdiction” in the tribal belt.
Instead, it recommended the evidence “be produced before the relevant concerned court for further proceedings under the law,” raising the prospect that Dr Afridi could yet face another trial for treason.
Dr Afridi’s sentencing was met by anger in the United States where the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to cut aid to Pakistan by a symbolic $33 million.
In January, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta confirmed that Afridi had worked for US intelligence by collecting DNA to verify Bin Laden’s presence in the town of Abbottabad where Navy SEALs killed the al Qaeda leader in May 2011.
But the court order said Afridi had “close links” to Lashkar-e-Islam, saying the doctor’s “love” for the group’s leader Mangal Bagh “and association with him was an open secret.”
It said the accused provided two million rupees ($22,000) to Lashkar-e-Islam and helped to provide medical assistance to militant commanders in Khyber.
Officials in Afridi’s home district of Khyber refused to elaborate. Mutahir Zeb Khan, the top administrator, said only: “Reasons given in the judgement are very clear and that’s it.”
On Tuesday, doctor Fuwad Khan, director general of health services in the tribal belt, refuted a smear campaign that Afridi was corrupt and a womaniser.
“There was no complaint against him on the record so no inquiry has ever been conducted as per the official record,” he told AFP.
COMMENTS (11)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Basit: American medal of honor and citizenship forthcoming.
..and it should be. Dr Afridi took a brave step without the fear of prosecution. If every Pakistani gets a little courage against the criminals and the law enforcement agencies get their act together, Pakistan will be a better place to live.
Is there any credibility left in these kangaroo carts?
@Bashy Quraishy: "It does not matter under which, law and tradition, Dr. Afridi is punished. Treason and spying is a crime against the state, nation and people of Pakistan"
It DOES matter that he be given due process of law under Pakistani penal code The story now seems to have changed that he was not a CIA agent but rather had ties to militants. When ALL the militants captured by army during 2009 Swat operation were freed, when Malik Ishaq is freed, when Lal Masjid people for whom there is TV footage that they were shooting the scurity forces are freed from conviction charge - Afridi is convicted for'TIES' to terrorists? This is what happens when due process of law is not followed - miscarriage of justice.American medal of honor and citizenship forthcoming.
Dear friends It does not matter under which, law and tradition, Dr. Afridi is punished. Treason and spying is a crime against the state, nation and people of Pakistan. In USA, you have federal laws and then you have state laws, which are used to convict people. The best example is death penalty. Some states carry it while others do not. So USA and the West should stop lecturing Pakistan on ethics and morals and let Pakistan decide its own affairs.
Right, so they sentence Dr Afridi for having "links" yet they exonerated known terrorists like Malik Ishaq and Lal Masjid brigade of ANY wrongdoing.
So he is a CIA agent who supported anti Pak terror groups to kill Pak civilians and forces. other exposed face of CIA . US will never be a friend with a Islamic nuclear power. Rightly known as backstabbing friend.
When was the verdict written, on May 27 ?
Where did he get the $22,000 to pass on to the militants?
It shows that how much fair the proceedings of these courts in Pakistan are. Earlier to this judgement how many people have been sentenced to 33 years in prison for having terrorists link ?
Now it's clear why he was jailed for "waging war against Pakistan", he was helping anti Pakistan terrorists. Another slap to US. Try him for treason in Pakistani courts, that would be the icing on the cake.
Oh give me a break already. Stepping up the dirt slinging isn't going to be more effective. It's just reinforcing peoples opinions of what kind of game they're playing.