File photo of Shakil Afridi. PHOTO: AFP
PESHAWAR: Due to a lawyers strike on Wednesday, the FATA tribunal adjourned the hearing of a review petition filed by former Khyber Agency surgeon Dr Shakil Afridi. The tribunal will now pick up the case on December 9.
After the last hearing on November 5 when the tribunal ordered the Khyber Agency political agent to compile a report on the accused and his case, lawyers confirmed Dr Shakil Afridi’s records have been submitted. A special public prosecutor was also directed to appear at the tribunal in the previous hearing. However, no details could be shared or confirmed as the hearing could not be conducted due to the strike.
Dr Afridi, who was arrested for allegedly helping the US track down al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad had filed a review petition through his counsel – advocates Abdul Latif Afridi, Samiullah Afridi and Qamar Nadeem, seeking a fresh trial and bail. The defence counsel had filed the review petition on October 21, demanding the tribunal to instruct the agency’s political agent to conduct a fresh trial and allow the defendant an opportunity to defend his case, and cross examine witnesses if produced by the prosecution.
The petition also urged the ban on the defendant’s bail be termed illegal and lifted. In August late FCR commissioner Sahibzada Muhammad Anis remanded the case back to the political agent and overturned the 33-year prison sentence and a fine of Rs320,000.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 28th, 2013.
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