Dr Shakil Afridi. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
The spokesperson added that the US aid is not related to Dr Afridi.
Pakistan and United states will hold strategic dialogue in Washington on the 27th and 28th of this month, spokesperson Tasnim Aslam stated during her weekly briefing in Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reported.
Earlier, the United States had warned that it could withhold $33 million of its allotted aid to Pakistan until Secretary of State John Kerry certifies that the alleged CIA collaborator was released and cleared of all charges.
The new $1.1 trillion spending bill, for the remaining part of the current fiscal year, appropriates military and non-military aid to Pakistan.
But on page 1,327 of the 1,582-page document, the US government warns it could withhold $33 million from the available assistance “until the Secretary of State reports to the Committees on Appropriations that Dr Shakil Afridi has been released from prison and cleared of all charges relating to the assistance provided to the United States in locating Osama bin Laden”.
On January 20, Pakistan had expressed disappointment over the Consolidated Appropriations Bill 2014 approved by the US Congress.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the evening of January 20, the government had said that Dr Afridi’s case was sub-judice and that he remains entitled to due process under the law.
“Consequently, any linkage of US assistance to this case is not in keeping with the spirit of cooperation between the two countries.... We are disappointed that the bill proposes to withhold US$ 33 million from assistance on account of Dr Shakil Afridi’s detention,” the statement had read.
The statement added that Pakistan and the United States are engaged in building a close, cooperative relationship, based on mutual respect and mutual interest and that the government hoped that this process would continue to move forward in a constructive manner.
COMMENTS (16)
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Pakistan is playing wisely bargaining chip for his release and US know there foul play
@unbelievable: ,
Do we know about the crime he has committed, other than that he was working for CIA?
If this charge is true and he is set free, he can only survive in a foreign land; his own family will disown him! If this is not the case then the Pakistan authorities are using him as a cover up of army deeds, then this is quite a different story.
Rex Minor
@Rex Minor:
Afridi was providing legitimate hepatitis B vaccinations - had nothing to do with polio. His "crime" was providing blood samples to US authorities who ran DNA profiles eventually coming up with familial match to OBL. Basically it's the same tactic that was used by USA to track down certain drug cartel leaders in South America.
How about giving him a trial where he is represented by an attorney - charge him with whatever you think he did wrong (helping ally?, embarrassing Pakistan?, providing blood sample without permission of donor? whatever) Allow the international press to attend the trial and let the World see Pakistani justice in action. As you may recall he's sitting in jail because he was convicted of terrorism charges which makes no sense - one of those Elephant in the Room things that Pakistanis seem to ignore.
Is Bill Gates footing the bill of $33 million, if he was indeed a Polio vaccine medic, or was he on CIA payroll? Hard to know the difference; the foreign office should explain.
Rex Minor
In other words..........He will be released at an appropriate time.
This is the joke of the century...
Where have we ever held our ground? Let the spokesperson address the question.
@Wali: I have never seen a US aid cheque. I have no idea who receives it. I have even less of an idea who spends it. Bu t everyone says they pay us !!! What is this paperless trail? money laundering??
Ok. So he would be released on request of Saudi?
I will withhold my comments till this issue reaches its logical conclusion
Is that $1.1 trillion figure correct? If yes, then that's about a 1/4 of the US federal budget.
Sooner or later he will be a free man soon.
Pak Foreign Office must known that US did not request the release of Afridi rather they Conditioned the release of fund subject to release of Afridi. This basic thing Foreign Office does not know then I am afraid of 4th generation war issues handling...
We want to beg the US for help and the dollars yet willing to drag the issue of sovereignty when it comes to issues like this. Dr. Shakil Afridi at worst did what most of us do without thinking twice - returning favour for a bit of money. He sure wasn't a spy or he would have disappeared from the country way before anyone woke up to the fact that he in someway helped the US. Please let the poor guy off and think about the bigger problems we face.